Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns Recipe

1. To prepare the buns, mix lukewarm milk, sugar, and dry yeast in a small bowl, and let it sit for 15 minutes. The mixture should become frothy and expand in size.

2. Attach the dough hook to your mixer and place the flour and salt in its bowl. If you don’t have a mixer, you can mix by hand. Create a well in the center of the flour and add the melted butter, lightly beaten egg, and the frothy yeast mixture. Add half of the chocolate chips to the mixture.

3. Using the dough hook attachment, mix the flour and salt in the bowl of a mixer (or knead by hand). Create a well in the center and add in the melted butter, lightly beaten egg, frothy yeast mixture, and half of the chocolate chips. Knead the dough on low for approximately 5 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough into a large bowl, not made of metal, and cover it with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm location and leave it to rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours until the dough has doubled in size.

4. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. After the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down and mix in the remaining chocolate chips. Knead the dough lightly to ensure the chips are evenly distributed. Divide the dough into 15 or 16 portions, and shape them into balls. Arrange the dough balls close together in either a 4 x 4 or 5 x 3 pattern on the prepared baking tray.

6. Set the oven to 200°C and cover the chocolate chip hot cross buns with plastic wrap. Allow the buns to rise for 20 minutes.

7. While the chocolate chip hot cross buns are in the oven, start preparing the glaze. Bake the buns for about 20-25 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and emanate a delightful aroma.