Sour-Cherry & Chocolate-Chip Hot Cross Buns

Sour-Cherry & Chocolate-Chip Hot Cross Buns. Easter’s not complete without this special treat! We’ve got a twist on the classic favourite that’s sure to get the family’s tick of approval. MiNDFOOD reports.

Makes 14

750g plain flour

1/3 cup caster sugar

30g candied orange peel,

chopped

2 tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp allspice

2 tsp sea salt

14g dried yeast

1 orange rind, finely grated

1 lemon rind, finely grated

380ml milk

100g butter, chopped

1 egg

150g dark chocolate, chopped

150g sour dried cherries

Glaze

¼ cup caster sugar

¼ tsp cinnamon

butter, to serve

Preheat oven to 200°C.

1 Place 700g flour, sugar, candied orange peel, cinnamon, allspice, salt, yeast, and citrus rinds in a bowl. Mix to combine. Create a well in the centre. Heat milk and butter in a frying pan over low heat, until butter melts and mixture is lukewarm. Whisk in egg.

2 Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly buttered bowl, cover, and let stand in a warm place for 30 minutes or until it doubles in size. Add chocolate and cherries and knead until just combined.

3 Divide dough into 14 pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Arrange dough 1cm apart on a baking tray lined with baking paper, cover, and let stand in a warm place for 30 minutes or until dough balls double in size. Combine remaining flour with 70ml water and stir until smooth. Pipe a cross on top of each bun. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

4 For glaze, combine sugar and cinnamon with ¼ cup water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Brush glaze over hot buns, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve with butter.