Raspberry White Choc-chip Hot Cross Buns

I have always wanted to like hot cross buns, I really liked the look and smell of them, but all those sultanas.. Yuck!. I hate sultanas, I'd take one bite, remember I didn't like them and then do it all over again the year after. You can imagine my excitement when shops started selling fruitless buns and then eventually choc chip buns and now all kinds of combinations. It got me thinking, what flavour would I really like? Well it had to have white chocolate chips and raspberries because they go so well together.


I haven’t had much experience with bread making but I was determined to make some of my own hot cross buns this Easter. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out, they looked like hot cross buns, they smelled delicious and had the traditional sweet spiced taste. The white choc-chips and raspberries made them extra yummy, and the raspberries gave them a pretty pink swirl of colour inside.


Hot Cross Buns

2 x 7g sachets dried yeast
1/2 cup warm water
4 cups white bread flour
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
40 grams butter
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup water

To make the buns- place the yeast, 2 teaspoons of the flour, 1 teaspoon of the sugar and warm water in a small bowl and mix well. Leave the bowl in a warm draught free place for about 10 minutes, until the mix is frothy and increased in volume.


Sift the rest on the flour and spices into a large bowl, stir in the sugar and rub in the butter with your fingertips. Stir through the raspberries and chocolate chips.


Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, stir in the yeast mixture and up to 3/4 cup of water to make a soft dough.


Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, add more flour as necessary to stop the dough sticking.

Place the dough into a large floured bowl and cover with clingwap, sit the bowl in a warm draught free place for 30-40 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.


Preheat the oven to 200 degrees c. and line a baking tray with baking paper. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently to deflate.


Divide the dough into 12 portions and roll into balls. Place the balls of dough on the baking tray just touching each other. Cover loosely with cling wrap and leave to sit in a warm place until nearly doubled in size. Prepare the paste for the crosses.

Pipe crosses over the tops on the buns with a piping bag.


Bake the buns for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Prepare the glaze.

Brush the glaze over the hot buns and allow to cool.


Paste for crosses

1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 teaspoon caster sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons water

To make the crosses- mix all ingredients in a small bowl to form a smooth paste.

Glaze

1 1/2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 teaspoon gelatine
1 tablespoon water

To make the glaze- heat all ingredients in a small saucepan until dissolved.

Next time I'll try orange and dark chocolate chips.

Enjoy!