APPLE AND CHOCOLATE HOT-CROSS BUNS
SERVES: 12 PREP: 15 MINS COOK: 20 MINS
300ml (½pt) full-fat milk
50g (2oz) unsalted butter
500g (1lb 2oz) sieved strong bread flour 10g (½oz) caster sugar
10g (½oz) fast-acting yeast
1 beaten egg
1 tsp salt
100g (4oz) finely chopped dark chocolate
Zest of an orange
1 cored and finely chopped apple
Vegetable oil for bowl
80g (3oz) sieved plain flour (for the cross) 20ml (¾fl oz) milk (for the glaze)
8 tbsp honey (for the glaze)
1. Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 7.
2. Boil the milk, take off the heat and add the butter to melt. Leave to cool until warm.
3. Mix the strong bread flour, caster sugar, salt and yeast. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk/butter and egg, combining the flour mixture to create a paste. Form into a dough.
4. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 mins.
5. Put the dough into a well-oiled bowl and cover with oiled clingfilm. Leave in a warm dry place until doubled in size.
6. Once dough has risen add your chocolate, apple and orange zest and knead through to fully combine.
7. Form each bun into a neat round shape and place onto a lined baking tray, leaving space for each bun to grow. Lightly score a cross into each bun.
8. Cover with oiled clingfilm or a clean tea towel and leave to rise for another hour.
9. Glaze the buns with some milk. To make the cross, mix 8 tbsp of water to the plain flour until you have a paste that you can pipe onto your buns.
10. Bake for 20 mins. Once baked glaze with warmed honey.