SOFT SOURDOUGH CHOCOLATE HOT CROSS BUNS

(can be made VEGAN*)

***FOR MACHINE (THERMOMIX, MAGIMIX CE, KITCHEN AID, KENWOOD, ANKARSRUM) INSTRUCTION SEE BELOW***

This is the softest sourdough chocolate hot cross buns you will ever make, and it has the great benefit of containing some good fibre from oats without being recognised by your more fussy little (or big) ones. I love a hint of chocolate which pairs nicely with the more traditional hot cross bun mixed spice flavour. If you can get a good quality mixed spice that is fine, but I prefer to use Dutch speculaas spice for a more delicious aroma. You will find this spice from Dutch and South African shops or you can google it and make it from scratch.

If the idea of beetroot frightens you, you can use apple/pear/orange juice instead. For me the beetroot kvass complements and adds depth of flavour to the chocolate.

For chocolate lovers or for your little ones, you can omit the spice completely and use good quality chocolate chips instead of dried fruits.

*for VEGAN version:

Substitute full fat nut milk,substitute butter with vegan butter or macadamia or olive oil, and substitute egg with chia gel made from 1tsp chia and 50g water. Make sure you let the chia gel form which will require some stirring and 3-4 hours to gel or alternatively use hot water, stir and allow to cool.

Print Recipe

Hot Cross Buns, Soft Sourdough Chocolate

Ingredients and method for 12 soft chocolate hot cross bunsYou will need a lamington tin (25cm x30cm) or a square cake tin (25cm x25cm)

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time8 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Servings: 12 buns

Author: YOKE MARDEWI, WILD SOURDOUGH

Ingredients

oat porridge

• 50 g oatmeal make your own by grinding rolled oats to a flour
• 250 g full cream milk or full fat nut milk for vegan
• 2-3 tbs honey, maple syrup, rice malt or raw organic sugar

WET INGREDIENTS

• 150 g white spelt or wheat sourdough starter active, fed 6-12 hours prior
• 150 g beetroot kvass or juice apple/pear/orange juice is fine or water
• 1 egg Large eggs or 2 small eggs
• ALL oat porridge from above

DRY INGREDIENTS

• 600 g organic white flour of your choice white spelt or white wheat or unbleached baker's flour
• 20 g Dutch alkalised cacao powder I use Valhrona. DO NOT use raw cacao powder
• 1 tbs mixed spice or speculaas spice Use less or omit, your preference
• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• 60 g butter, softened at room temperature or vegan butter

INGREDIENT TO ADD TO FINAL DOUGH

• 200-250 g mixed dried fruit organic if possible (currants, sultanas, mixed peel, cranberries)
• 200-250 g choc chips couverture choc chips preferred

Instructions

Make oat porridge (at least 4 hrs before)

• Cook milk and oatmeal until they become a thin runny consistency like porridge Turn off the heat Add sugar/rice malt/maple syrup/honey Let the mixture sit until it is warm to touch

Make the dough

• Put the wet ingredients into a bowl. Add all the wet ingredients (except salt and butter) into the dry ingredients. Roughly mix the dough (dough will feel scraggly and dry at this stage) Rest covered in warm room temperature for one hour
  
• Add 60g butter and 2tsp fine sea salt Knead well until dough is smooth and shiny (ie. knead like a brioche dough, and this could be done in several kneads/rest) - total kneading time by hand 10mins
  
• Rest overnight in a covered container in fridge if you want to bake within the next 3 days or 2-3hr at room temp if you want to bake on the same day.

Mix dried fruit/choc chips

• Stretch dough into a rectangle about 1/2cm thickness Thaw the dough for one hour if dough is refrigerated. Spread on top of the dough: mixed dried fruit or choc chips - or a mixture of both Roll the dough and filling like a Swiss roll.
  

Shape buns

• Cut into 12 portions, then weigh each to be of the same weight (130-140g). Shape dough portions into tight round rolls
  

Put inside tin

• Line your baking tin with unbleached silicon coated baking/parchment paper and put all inside a baking tin Spray top generously with water
  

Rise the buns

• Rise the buns covered in a warm place away from draft until they "ALMOST" double in size and appear 'puffy'. if you have a proofer, set your proofer at 28-30C with steam or warm water tray underneath to keep it moist. This will take time especially if your room is not warm. The longer they take to double the sourer the hot cross buns will become.
  

Bake the buns

• Put your buns in the baking tin in a cold oven and rise the temperature to 205C for 20 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 180C for 10-15 minutes until the inner temperature reaches 95C. If the buns brown too quickly, cover it with two layers of baking paper.
  
• Remove baking tin from the oven and brush generously with the a butter or a mixture of butter and brandy or any orange or chocolate liqueur. Eat warm with lots of butter or they will freeze well after cooling
  

Notes

Mixing and Kneading can be done with machine:

Thermomix: Mix is 20seconds on knead, and Knead is 1 minute, then 15min rest, and repeat 3-5 times until dough is shiny

Magimix CE: Mix is 1 minute on Bake-Brioche setting at speed 9 then Knead is Bake-Brioche setting at speed 7 for 1 min, then 15 min rest, and repeat 3-5 times until dough is shiny

Kitchen Aid or Kenwood Chef: Mix is 20-30 seconds, speed 1, K beater or dough hook,Knead is 1 minute, then 15min rest, and repeat 3-5 times until dough is shiny

Ankarsrum: Mix is 1-2 minutes dough hook only, lowest speed 1,Knead is 2-3 minute, then 15min rest, and repeat 3-5 times until dough is shiny