Recipe: Baileys Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns

Ingredients:

100ml milk

100ml Baileys Chocolat Luxe

6g dried yeast

1 tsp sugar

420g bread flour

30g cocoa powder

100g cold butter, cut into small cubes

1/2 tsp salt

45g sugar

2 eggs

150g milk chocolate chips

4 tbsp plain flour

3 tbsp Baileys Original

Sugar syrup, to glaze

Method:

  1. Heat the oven to 200C/400C.
  2. Add the milk and Baileys Chocolat Luxe to a jug and heat in the microwave for 1 min. Leave to cool to blood temperature, then add the yeast and 1 tsp of the sugar and stir to combine. Leave the yeast to bloom for 5 mins.
  3. Add the flour, cocoa, salt and butter to a large mixing bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture has the texture of fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, then make a well in the middle and add the 2 eggs and the milky yeast mixture. Bring the mixture together into a soft dough, then turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for 10 mins until the dough is smooth and stretchy. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover in cling film and leave to proof somewhere warm for a couple of hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
  4. Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and spread out into a rectangle. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips and knead again so that they are evenly dispersed.
  5. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, shape into buns, place on a lined tray and cover with cling film until doubled in size again, about another hour.
  6. Mix the flour with enough Baileys Original to form a stiff paste. Score the top of each bun with a cross and pipe the flour paste into the crosses. Bake for 20-25 mins until risen and smelling lovely and chocolately. Place on a wire rack and brush with sugar syrup, then leave to cool.
  7. Serve halved and toasted with lots of butter and enjoy!

Recipe credit