Easter is just around the corner! For some it may mean enjoying a long weekend and for others it may mean a little bit more. Either way, Easter can’t be enjoyed without hot cross buns.
Sure, I understand why people may shun the bun loaded with sultanas so I’m doing you a favour and replacing the misunderstood dried fruit with chocolate.
We all remember that dreaded moment as a child when you eagerly took a bite out of a baked good to discover it was loaded with sultanas, not chocolate!
A few notes before you start baking up a storm:
- Making hot cross buns is not a short process. Keep in mind the proving time and leave a morning or an afternoon to prepare them.
- Having recently moved to Dublin I realised I didn’t know how to make dough rise without the sun. If you have to deal with a lack of light too I suggest you pop the buns in a proving drawer or in a SLIGHTLY warm oven.
- To take these buns to the next level, cut one open, add a scoop of vegan vanilla or caramel ice cream and prepare to melt into taste heaven.
Image from: Chico Gelato
Chocolate Hot Cross Bun Recipe
Ingredients
For the buns
- 3⅓ cup spelt flour
- 1 packet of yeast
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ cup Oatly oat milk or soy
- 1 egg, whisked
- 5 tablespoons vegan butter, cubed
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 bar of 70% dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- Zest of 1 orange
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the eggwash
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tbsp of oat or soy milk
For the crosses
- 1/3 cup of spelt flour
- Enough water to form a thick paste
- Dash of vanilla extract
For the glaze
- 4 Tbsp of marmalade
- 1 tbsp of water
- 1/4 tsp of cloves
Instructions
Buns
- In a saucepan, add the milk and coconut sugar. Heat until the sugar has dissolved. Do not boil!
- In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients, except for the cranberries, orange zest, chocolate and salt. Make a well in the middle of the bowl and add in the milk and egg.
- Mix together until it forms a dough, before adding in the vegan butter slowly whilst kneading the dough with your hands. Knead for about 5 minutes or until you get a smooth texture.
- Add in the cranberries, orange zest, chocolate and salt. Keep on kneading for a few more minutes.
- Cover the bowl with cling wrap. Leave it in a warm place for about 1 hour, until it almost doubles in size.
- When the dough is ready, punch it down and divide it into 20 buns. Make sure there are no cracks on the surfaces.
- Put the buns on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Keep a gap of about 1 cm between them. Cover the tray loosely with cling wrap. Leave the buns to rise in a warm place for around an hour, until they have doubled in size.
Eggwash
- Once the buns are ready whisk the egg and milk together. Gently brush the buns with the wash and leave to dry for 10 minutes. Give them a second brush, making sure you get into all the cracks.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Crosses
- Add the flour to a medium bowl and slowly add in the water a tbsp at a time until a thick, smooth paste forms.
- Using your hands or a piping bag form the crosses on top of the buns, making sure they hug around the buns.
- Put them into the oven and immediately turn it down to 180 degrees C. Bake until golden brown. 15-20 minutes typically
Glaze
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until combined.
- Brush generously onto the warm buns ensuring you cover them all. Wait 10 minutes and give them another brush with the glaze.
- Allow the buns to cool slightly before serving.
3 Comments
It is awhile to next Easter….but when it arrives, I’ll be making these hot X buns!