Chocolate Hot Cross Buns: the spiced rolls that smell of legend.
If there is a scent that describes Easter in Anglo-Saxon countries, it is undoubtedly that of Hot Cross Buns.
These soft sweet rolls, traditionally enriched with spices and raisins, are a staple of Easter breakfast in England, Australia and the United States.
This year I decided to take you with me to explore customs from other parts of the world, offering a revamped and super-indulgent version: Hot Cross Buns with chocolate chips.
The original recipe calls for sultana raisins, but let’s be honest: not everyone likes them at home.
For this reason, I decided to replace them with a generous handful of chocolate chips.
The result? Absolutely irresistible buns, where the warmth of spices (such as cinnamon and cloves) meets the sweetness of dark chocolate.
It’s a version that pleases everyone, from the little ones to adults looking for a breakfast different from the usual.
Besides being delicious, these buns are surrounded by fascinating stories.
An old legend says that Hot Cross Buns prepared and baked on Good Friday have almost magical properties: it is said they never mold and even have healing powers.
Legends aside, their real peculiarity is the cross on top, which symbolizes the religious occasion and makes them immediately recognizable.
It’s not the first time I’ve tried this preparation, but cooking is about experiments (and sometimes distractions!).
In the past the recipe was perfect but the photo… hideous!
This time, however, helped by a moment of distraction, I forgot to brush them with the yolk before the final rise and drew the cross only at the end.
Do you want to know the truth? They turned out great anyway!
Strictly speaking, the buns should be shaped, brushed with the egg yolk, decorated with the paste for the cross and then left to rise.
However, if like me you forget, you can make the cross (a mix of water and flour) just before baking.
The result will still be beautiful and soft.
All that’s left is to try them and write to me in the comments whether you prefer the “chocolatey” version or if you remain faithful to the traditional raisins. I’m curious to know what you think!
Approx. 200 kcal per bun

Difficulty: Medium
Cost: Medium
Rest time: 3 Hours
Preparation time: 20 Minutes
Cooking time: 30 Minutes
Portions: 22 pieces
Cooking methods: Electric oven
Cuisine: English
Seasonality: Easter

Ingredients to make Hot Cross Buns with chocolate chips

1 tsp active dry (about 8 g fresh yeast) fresh yeast
5 7/8 cups Type 0 flour (about 700 g)
6 tbsp butter (about 90 g / 3.2 oz)
1/3 cup sugar (about 70 g)
7 fl oz whole milk (about 200 ml)
7 fl oz water (about 200 ml)
1 egg
1 pinch nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 orange zest (+ juice)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 pinch salt
3.5 oz dark chocolate (75%) chips (or sultana raisins as in the traditional recipe)
1 egg yolk
3 tbsp water
5 tbsp flour (for the cross paste; about 40 g)
1 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp water
1/3 cup sugar (about 65 g)

Preparation of Hot Cross Buns with chocolate chips

You can prepare these rolls with a stand mixer, or roll up your sleeves and do it by hand.
In the stand mixer bowl put the yeast, milk, water, flour and sugar; mix well with the mixer or by hand.
Then add the orange zest and juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, salt, butter and mix thoroughly again.
To finish, add the egg and continue working the dough until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
Pour the dough into a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 2 1/2 hours.
After the rising time, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, roll it out with a rolling pin into a rectangle, sprinkle the chocolate chips over it, fold the dough over itself and work for about ten minutes until you have a smooth ball.
Now shape buns of about 2.5 oz (70 g) each and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, well spaced.
Brush them with the egg yolk diluted with a splash of water, then prepare the mixture for the cross typical of these buns with water, flour and almond extract: mix well and, using a piping bag with a very fine tip, pipe a cross on each bun.
Leave to rise in a switched-off oven for about 45 minutes…
…then bake in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) for about 30 minutes.
I got distracted and this time (since I had already made them in the past) I made the cross after the rising and didn’t use the yolk.
When they are almost cooked, start preparing the glaze: put the water and sugar required into a small saucepan and cook for a couple of minutes.
When the hot cross buns are done, brush them immediately with the syrup you obtained.