I decided to make these buns after walking around my local Marks and Spencer, they had just brought out their Belgian chocolate fudge hot cross buns and I thought to myself “I think I’ll have a go at making these” this was largely drawn for the fact that the M&S buns only have four in a pack and my family can be a little bit greedy (this recipe makes 15)

For the buns I took inspiration from the bread master himself Paul Hollywood, but instead of mixed peel and other dried fruits it replaced them with vanilla fudge pieces and dark chocolate studded with crystallised ginger to ramp up the spice.

These buns are a truly decadent take on the original that shouldn’t be confined to just the Easter period, have them for breakfast toasted with butter and a cup of tea or use the leftovers to make Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter pudding.

The process is a little bit time consuming when you factor in proving time but that is what passing the time on Instagram is for right??.

Chocolate chip vanilla fudge hot cross buns (makes 15)

Ingredients:

For the buns
300ml full-fat milk, plus 2 tbsp more
50g butter
500g strong bread flour
1 tsp salt
75g caster sugar
1 tbsp sunflower oil
7g sachet fast-action or easy-blend yeast
1 egg, beaten
75g vanilla fudge chopped into small cubes
100g dark chocolate chips (I used crystallised ginger studded dark chocolate chopped into chunks)
1 tsp ground cinnamon

For the cross
75g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

For the glaze
3 tbsp apricot jam

Method:
Bring the milk to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the butter. Leave to cool until it reaches hand temperature. Put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and butter mixture, then add the egg. Using a wooden spoon, mix well, then bring everything together with your hands until you have a sticky dough – I used the bowl of my mixer and mixed together using the dough hook.

Tip on to a lightly floured surface and knead by holding the dough with one hand and stretching it with the heal of the other hand, then folding it back on itself. Repeat for 5 mins until smooth and elastic or if using a mixer once the dough has come together continue to knead with the dough hook for 10 mins until the dough is elastic and the gluten strands have formed. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size and a finger pressed into it leaves a dent.

With the dough still in the bowl, tip in the chocolate, fudge, and cinnamon. Knead into the dough, making sure everything is well distributed. Leave to rise for 1 hr more, or until doubled in size, again covered by some well-oiled cling film to stop the dough getting a crust.

Divide the dough into 15 even pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured work surface. Arrange the buns on one or two baking trays lined with parchment, leaving enough space for the dough to expand. Cover (but don’t wrap) with more oiled cling film, or a clean tea towel, then set aside to prove for 1 hr more.

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Mix the flour with about 5 tbsp water to make the paste for the cross – add the water 1 tbsp at a time, so you add just enough for a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses. Bake for 20 mins on the middle shelf of the oven, until golden brown.

Gently heat the apricot jam to melt, then sieve to get rid of any chunks. While the jam is still warm, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool (you could use a sugar syrup instead)