Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns

Small things that made me happy today:

- Seeing a naked hermit crab, still searching for the perfect shell

- Watching my father's fish that was born with one normal fin and one tiny chicken wing fin thrive amongst its other fishy counterparts. 

- Trying a kiwi berry (the texture kinda threw me off, but I'm glad I tasted it)

- Getting my hair cut for the first time since December and feeling all light and fluffy. 

Mm. So many moments that made me smile throughout the day. Another one of those moments? Being able to eat a warm hot cross bun for breakfast. It's so wonderful just sitting back and relaxing with a cup of tea and the spring sunshine, not having to worry about getting to class.

 

Hot cross buns are a Good Friday food (I just happened to make them that day, yay for learning!) studded with dried fruit and orange zest. Bleh. I am not a fan of what my mom calls "dead fruit". I am a person of simpler tastes (i.e. chocolate chips. Good ol' Nestle).  Well, I'm off to bed, hopefully to have another day filled with simple pleasures :) 

Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns 

adapted slightly from Butter

For the buns
3 packets instant dry yeast (21g, 3/4 oz)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups bread flour
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup chocolate chunks or chips

For the glaze
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp hot water

For the crosses
60g white chocolate (2 oz)

To make the buns, combine the lukewarm milk, sugar and dry yeast in a small bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes. It should become frothy and increase in size.

Fit your mixer with the dough hook and put the flour and salt in the bowl of your mixer (if you don’t have one, you could do this by hand). Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the melted butter, lightly beaten egg and frothy yeast mixture, as well as the chocolate chips.

Turn the mixer on low and knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. My dough was a bit dry so I ended up adding a little extra milk. Place it in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and set aside in warm place for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, until the dough doubles in size.

Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.

Once the dough has risen, knock it down and knead lightly. Divide the dough evenly into 15 or 16 balls and place them close together on the baking tray, in a 4 x 4 or 5 x 3 arrangement.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cover the hot cross buns with plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 20 minutes.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. While the buns are baking, prepare your glaze.

For the glaze, dissolve the sugar in the hot water.

Once the buns are cooked, remove them from the oven and quickly brush them with a few coats of the glaze.

To make the crosses, melt the white chocolate in the microwave in short bursts, stirring in between. Put the chocolate into a small zip loc bag or piping bag, snip off the end and pipe crosses across the chocolate chip buns.

Serve warm. Makes 15-16 hot cross buns.