Mini Egg chocolate hot cross buns recipe

These Mini Egg chocolate hot cross buns are a next-level chocolatey Easter treat that the whole family will love.

We love a traditional hot cross bun with juicy raisins and delicate spices, but not everyone is a fan, and in that case, chocolate is the next best thing. And not just any chocolate, but Mini Eggs - the most Easterly chocolate of all. In fact, this buns are triple-chocolate, with a cocoa sponge dotted with crushed mini eggs, and white chocolate crosses piped on the top. Serve them plain with lashings of butter, of if you want a bit of a fruity kick, try them topped with lovely orange marmalade, too.

Ingredients

• 450g plain white bread flour
• 25g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 85g chopped butter
• 100g caster sugar
• 14g dried yeast
• 1 large egg
• 190ml warm milk
• 150g Mini Eggs
• 50g white chocolate 
• 2 tbsp marmalade (to glaze)

Method

1. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add the butter and rub together until the mix looks like breadcrumbs.  Whisk the egg and milk together and pour onto the dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
2. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place it in a lightly oiled mixing bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 2 hours until it has doubled in size.
3. Once risen, remove the dough from the bowl and knead through the chocolate Mini Eggs.
4. Split the mixture into 12 evenly sized buns and roll to make the tops look smooth and shiny.
5. Leave on a lightly greased tray, slightly separated in rows for another hour or so, covered loosely with cling film, until doubled in size again.
6. Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Score crosses in the top of each bun with a sharp knife. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes until risen and slightly firm. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
7. Heat the marmalade and brush onto the buns to glaze.
8. Melt the chocolate and spoon into a piping bag. Pipe crosses into the dents on top of the buns.

Top Tip for making Mini Egg chocolate hot cross buns

If you don't have a piping bag you can snip the corner off of a sandwich bag and use that instead.

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