Checkerboard hot-cross buns
Ingredients 7g sachet (2 teaspoons) dry yeast 1 1/2 cups milk, warmed 1/4 cup caster su…
Ingredients
- 7g sachet (2 teaspoons) dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups milk, warmed
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- 4 cups plain flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 60g butter, chilled, chopped
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup white chocolate bits
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate bits
- 1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture
- 1 teaspoons butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons boiling water
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
Method
1. Grease a 6cm-deep, 23cm (base) square cake pan. Place yeast, milk and 1 tablespoon sugar in a jug. Whisk to dissolve yeast. Cover. Set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes or until foamy.
2. Sift half the flour into a bowl. Sift over cocoa. Rub in half the butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in half the remaining sugar. Sift remaining flour into another bowl. Rub in remaining butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in remaining sugar.
3. Add half the egg and half the yeast mixture to cocoa mixture. Stir to combine. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 1 minute. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover. Set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, add remaining yeast mixture and egg to flour mixture. Stir to combine. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 1 minute. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover. Set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
4. Punch cocoa dough down. Turn onto a floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes or until smooth. Add white choc bits. Knead to combine. Roll mixture into 8 balls. Cover. Set aside. Repeat with flour dough and dark choc bits.
5. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Arrange balls, in alternating colours, in prepared pan to form a checkerboard. Cover. Set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes or until slightly risen.
6. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Place buns top-side up on a wire rack.
7. Meanwhile, make icing Sift half the icing sugar into a bowl. Add half the butter and 1 tablespoon boiling water. Stir until smooth and slightly stiff. Spoon icing into a snap-lock bag. Snip 1 corner from bag. Pipe crosses onto chocolate buns. Sift remaining icing sugar and cocoa in a bowl. Add remaining butter and remaining boiling water. Stir until smooth and slightly stiff. Spoon icing into a snap-lock bag. Snip 1 corner from bag. Pipe crosses onto remaining buns. Set aside for 15 minutes. Serve.
