Chocolate hot cross buns

Chocolate hot cross buns. Photo / Ian Jones

Makes 16 buns

2 tbsp instant dried yeast
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
4 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp Dutch cocoa powder
50g butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
2 cups white chocolate chips, split into two amounts
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 gelatine leaf, soaked in cold water till soft and squeezed

1 In a mixing bowl, stir the yeast, first amount of sugar and milk together, cover with cling-film and set aside for 15 minutes until frothy. In an electric mixing bowl, sift the flour and salt. Make a well and add yeast paste, butter, egg, cocoa and half the chocolate chips. Knead the dough for five minutes until elastic, place in a greased mixing bowl, cover with cling film and allow proving for 1 hours.

2 Knock back the dough, add the remaining chocolate chips and divide the dough into 16 equal-sized balls. Place on a non-stick baking paper-lined tray close together and allow proving for 20 to 30 minutes, then place into a pre-heated 180C oven for 25 minutes. In a saucepan, bring sugar and water to the boil, add gelatine to dissolve and put the saucepan in a sink of ice water to thicken. Brush over the buns once out of the oven, add your cross if required and serve piping hot.