Chocolate Hot Cross Buns Recipes

Steps:

• KIDS the writing in bold is for you ADULTS the rest is for you. Mix the bun ingredients. Put the strong flour, yeast, caster sugar and 1 tsp salt in a bowl with the spices and mix. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk, egg and butter. Start mixing with a plastic or wooden spoon and finish with your hands. If the dough is too dry, add warm water, or extra flour if it's wet.
• Now stretch the dough - this is called kneading. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 10 mins until it becomes smooth and springy. This will be a bit too much work for children, so get them to start the kneading, then when they get tired, take over.
• Leave the dough to rise until doubled in size because of the yeast. Transfer to a clean, lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with a clean, damp tea towel. Leave in a warm place to rise until roughly doubled in size - this will take about 1 hr depending on how warm the room is.
• Add the chocolate chips and do some division. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten. Scatter over the chocolate chips (or dried fruit), and knead the dough a few more times. Divide it into 8 even portions - halve the dough, then halve each portion twice more, and explain the maths.
• Roll the dough into buns. Roll each portion into a smooth round and place on a greased baking sheet in 2 rows of 4, leaving some room between each bun for it to rise. Cover with a tea towel again and leave in a warm place to prove for 20 mins, until almost doubled in size again or just touching.
• Make the crosses on the buns and bake them. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the plain flour with 1 tsp sugar and 4-5 tbsp water to give you a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe white lines on the buns to make crosses. Bake for 20 mins until they are light brown.
• Brush them with jam if you want them to be nice and shiny. If you want to enjoy the buns untoasted, gently heat the jam in a pan or the microwave, and brush over the buns using a pastry brush. If you are going to toast them, then don't glaze them as the jam will burn.

Steps:

• Prepare the dough the day before baking. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a jug. Put the flour, cocoa powder, white and milk chocolate chunks, yeast, sugar and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
• With the motor running on a medium speed, slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until everything is incorporated and comes together into a soft dough, about 2-3 mins. Gradually add the butter, and slowly increase the speed, kneading for 8-10 mins until the dough comes away from the side of the bowl and clings to the hook. Scrape the dough off the hook (it will be very sticky at this point), cover and chill overnight.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide into nine equal pieces, about 100g each. Knead each piece slightly and pull the dough in on itself to create a ball. Arrange the dough balls on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, leaving some room between each. Cover and leave to prove in a warm place for 2 hrs, or until almost doubled in size.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. For the topping, combine the flour, sugar and 3 tbsp water, adding the water 1 tbsp at a time until you have a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle and pipe crosses onto the buns. Bake for 20 mins until risen. Meanwhile, heat the apricot jam in a small pan over a low heat to loosen, then brush over the warm buns. Leave to cool before serving.