These Brioche Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are a delicious spin on Traditional Hot Cross
Buns but with the addition of decadent dark chocolate! Enjoy these for a special Easter
Brunch. Welcome to recipes by carina where I share with you how to make classic and simply
delicious food, make sure to follow my page or subscribe for a new recipes.
Start with activating the yeast. In a medium sized bowl or jug add the warm milk. It should
feel warm but not hot, about 37C or 98F but you don’t need a thermometer for this.
To the milk add in the egg and about a tablespoon of the sugar set aside for the dry ingredients.
Give this a good mix until combined.
If you would like the full recipe for these brioche hot cross buns it will be on my website
as well as the full measurements listed in the description box below.
Add the yeast to the bowl, 2 teaspoons, 7g or two packets. You’ll notice I give the
measurements in cups and grams so no matter where you live in the world you should find
this recipe easy enough to follow.
Mix the yeast in and set to the side for about 10-15 minutes to activate.
In the bowl of your stand mixer or a large bowl if you’re making this dough by hand
add the flour, cocoa powder, the sugar and salt.
Once your yeast mixture is starting to look foamy and frothy pour it into the bowl with
the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed for about 2-3 minutes or until a dough has formed.
If your making the dough by hand use a wooden spoon and tip it out on work surface to knead.
These chocolate hot cross buns make a great breakfast, dessert or snack. they’re great
fresh but my favourite way to serve them is toasted so chocolate melts with a little butter
on top. Let me know if you prefer traditional hot cross buns with fruit or the chocolate
version.
This is brioche dough so it’s enriched with egg, milk and butter. Add the softened butter
to the dough and continue mixing on low to medium speed until the butter has incorporated
and the dough is smooth.
Lastly add in the dark chopped chocolate or chocolate chips and mix until combined. This
can sometimes be easier to do by hand but I had no trouble with the mixer. Transfer
the dough to an oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or in
fridge overnight.
When your brioche dough has risen tip it out on to your work surface and divide into 8
or 12 pieces depending if you would like larger or smaller buns . You can do this by weighing
the dough and dividing it to be more accurate or just eye ball it.
Flatten each piece of dough then roll into a smooth ball. Place in a greased rectangle
baking dish, evenly spaced apart. If you’ve made 12 buns instead or 8 just make 3 rows
instead or 2. Cover again and leave to rise for about an hour, until doubled in size.
You can also do this rise in the fridge overnight.
When the buns have risen preheat the oven to 180C / 350F. In a small bowl mix together
flour, cocoa powder and water to make the chocolate crosses.
Transfer to a piping bag and pipe crosses on to each of the buns. This is what turns
them from just delicious chocolate brioche buns to hot cross buns. Place into the preheated
oven for about 30 minutes.
Lastly we just need to make a quick sugar syrup to glaze the chocolate buns with. Add
equal amounts of sugar and water, 1/4 cup of each and heat over medium heat until the
sugar has dissolved.
Remove the buns from the oven and while they are still hot brush over the sugar syrup to
make them glisten.
Leave the buns to cool in the dish before serving.
These are great eaten fresh, warm from the oven while the chocolate is still melted or
toasted.
I hope you try out this recipe, make sure to subscribe for more. thank you for watching
and I will see you in my next video.