Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns

5 from 1 vote

Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday in the UK: these Vegan Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns are a fun twist on the classic recipe, made dairy free.

Prep Time2 30

Cook Time25

Total Time2 55

Course: Snack

Cuisine: British

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: dark chocolate, orange

Servings: people

Calories: 426.01kcal

Author: Emma

Ingredients

225 millilitres non-dairy milk
50 grams non-dairy butter
450 grams strong white bread flour
14 g fast-action dried yeast
50 grams coconut sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 orange juice and zest
100 grams mixed peel
100 grams dark chocolate roughly chopped
100 grams plain flour
5 - 6 tbsp cool water
2 tbsp marmalade
2 tbsp hot water

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

In a small pan, heat the milk with the butter until the butter has melted and the mix begins to steam.
Once it begins to steam, immediately take this off of the heat and place to one side.
In the meantime mix the flour, yeast, sugar, spices and orange zest in a large bowl and place to one side.
Check that the milk and butter is still warm to the touch and pour into the bowl of dry ingredients along with the orange juice and bring together into a ball of dough with your hands.
Turn the ball of dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the ball is smooth and elastic.
Place the dough back into the bowl and cover with cling film or a tea towel to prove in a warm place for roughly 1 hour or until the dough has roughly doubled in size.
After the initial prove, stretch the dough out until flat.
Cover the dough with 2/3rds of the mixed peel and chocolate.
Fold the dough in half and cover with the remaining mixed peel and chocolate before folding in half again.
Begin kneading the dough to incorporate the layers of fruit and chocolate into the dough. This should take roughly 5 minutes.
Line a large oven dish with grease proof paper.
Cut the dough into 8 equal sized pieces and roll into smooth balls.
Place the 8 balls into the oven dish allowing room for them to grow and spread.
Again, cover with either cling film or a tea towel and leave in a warm place to prove for a further 30-45 minutes.
Once the dough has increased in size again, pre-heat your oven to gas mark 5 / 180C.
Before baking, make a paste with the plain flour and water. Add just 5 tbsp to begin with, only adding the 6th if it is too thick to pipe.
Add the paste into a piping bag and pipe crosses on top of the buns.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Just before the 20 minutes is up, mix the marmalade and hot water together.
Take the buns out of the oven when the 20-25 minutes is complete and brush the buns with the marmalade glaze.
Allow to cool on a wire rack before eating.

Notes

Serving suggestion

These taste fantastic cut in half and toasted before being spread with either chocolate spread or marmalade!

Nutrition