3tbsphoneyused orange blossom honey if you can find it
zest of 1 orange
2tbspfinely diced candied citrus peeled
Instructions
In a large bowl add the flour, cocoa powder and sugar, then on one side of the bowl add the salt, and add the yeast to the other side (yeast doesn’t like direct contact with salt). Set aside.
450 g (3 3/4 cups) strong bread flour, 50 g (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) cocoa powder, 100 g (1/2 cup) caster or fine-granulated sugar, 1 tsp salt, 2 1/4 tsp instant dried yeast
In a jug, add the milk, butter, and orange zest, and heat in the microwave, or a pan, until the butter has melted and the liquid is hot, but not so hot it would burn you. Add the liquid to the flour mixture, then give it a stir with a wooden spoon, and add in the egg and orange extract. Give it all a good mix with your hands and then tip out onto a lightly oiled surface and knead for about 5 or 6 minutes. Alternativley, you can use the dough hook on a food mixer and mix for 5-6 minutes.
300 ml (1 1/4 cups) full-fat milk, 50 g (1/4 cup minus 1 tbsp) unsalted butter, zest of 1 large orange, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp orange extract
Gather the dough into a ball and place in a bowl that’s been lightly greased with olive or vegetable oil. Cover with clingfilm and leave to prove in a warm room for an hour.
After the hour is up, add the raisins, citrus peel, chocolate chips, and cinnamon. Mix with your hands, then tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead everything in for a minute or two until it’s fully mixed together. Place back in the bowl, cover with clingfilm, and leave to prove for another hour.
130 g (2/3 cup) juicy raisins, 50 g (1/4 cup) finely diced candied citrus peel, 110 g (2/3 cup) milk chocolate chips, 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Tip the dough out on a lightly floured surface and divide into 15 equal (ish) pieces. You can do this by eye, or you can weigh the dough and divide by 15 – weighing each piece and adjusting as you cut it. Shape each piece into a ball and arrange on a tray that’s been covered with a piece of baking parchment. You can arrange into lines, or if you want to do it in a circle like I did, place an oven-proof small bowl (such as a ramekin) in the middle of your tray, and arrange the balls around the outside. Try to ensure the balls are around a centimetre apart (They’ll start to join up with the final prove and also during baking). Place the baking try inside a carrier bag and leave to prove for one final hour.
2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F (fan). Make up the paste for the crosses. In a bowl, mix the flour with about 5 tbsps of cold water using a fork. You’re looking for paste about the consistency of wallpaper paste, so may need to add a bit more flour or water. Spoon into a piping bag with a small round nozzle (or a plastic sandwich bag with a tiny hole in the corner) and draw the crosses on the buns.
3 heaped tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour, 5 tbsp cold water
Place in the oven and cook for 20 mins.
Take out of the oven, then glaze whilst still hot (this helps to ensure the buns stay soft on top). Mix together the melted butter and honey then spread all over the tops and sides of the buns with a pastry brush.
2 tbsp honey, 8 tbsp unsalted butter
Once the buns are cool, remove the bowl in the centre. Carefully (I use a large spatula, plus some help from Chris!) transfer the buns to a large plate.
Made the orange honey butter, by mixing the butter, 2 tbsp of honey, and the orange zest together. Place in a small bowl and top with the candied peel and the rest of the honey. Place the bowl in the middle of the hot cross bun ring before serving.
Leftover hot cross buns can be stored in an airtight contained at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also freeze the buns, then defrost before serving (serve cold, toasted, or even microwave them for a few seconds if you'd like them warm)..Nutritional Information is per Hot Cross Bun