Cocoa crazy

Paul A Young’s guide to cooking with chocolate

Makes 8

These have a dense, fudgy texture, with crunchy pieces of hot cross bun.

— 3 hot cross buns

— 300g milk chocolate

(35 per cent cocoa solids or above), broken into small pieces

— 75g unsalted butter

— 175g golden syrup or honey — 400g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids or above), broken into pieces — ½ tsp Maldon sea salt,

well crushed

Preheat the oven to 170C/ 150C fan/gas mark 3½. Line a 15 x 20cm square baking tray that’s at least 2.5cm deep with three layers of cling film, pressing it into the corners.

Cut the buns into 1cm cubes and spread over a baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until very crisp and golden. Allow to cool fully.

Place half the milk chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of water that has just come to a simmer and been taken off the heat. Allow to melt, stirring occasionally. Once melted, take off the pan and add the remaining milk chocolate, mixing constantly until it has all melted. This will temper the chocolate so it sets crisp.

Mix the baked hot-crossbun pieces into the chocolate to coat fully. Lift the pieces out with a fork, letting any excess chocolate run off, and spread out on baking paper. Chill for 10 minutes to set.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and syrup or honey in a pan until hot but not bubbling. Take off the heat, and add the dark chocolate and salt. Mix well. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Carefully mix two thirds of the hot-cross-bun chunks into the dark-chocolate mixture. Pour this into the lined tray.

Tap the tray to level out the mixture, then scatter with the remaining chunks.

Chill for one hour before cutting into eight bars. Eat within two weeks, and serve at room temperature.