Baking
Hot Cross Buns with Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
For the Hot Cross Buns
- 250ml whole milk
- 1 egg
- 50g Kerrygold Original Irish Butter
- 450g cake flour
- 10g salt
- 50g caster sugar
- 3 tsp mixed spice
- 50g cocoa powder
- 7g dry yeast
- 50g grated dark chocolate
- 50g dried cranberries
- 50g plain flour, for the crosses
- Grated lemon zest, for garnish
For the Salted Caramel Sauce
- 600ml water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 160ml heavy whipping cream
- 3 tbsp Kerrygold Irish Salted Butter
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
Directions
Recipe by Thabitha Makwakwa (@thabitha_chef)
Remove from heat and pour in the milk, then add the egg and whisk well.
In a separate bowl, sift in the flour and cocoa powder followed by the yeast. Now make a well in the middle and pour in the milk mixture. Mix gently until the mixture forms a dough.
Knead on a flour-dusted surface for 5 minutes until the dough is mixed well and doesn't stick to your hands. Transfer to a flour-dusted surface. Cover your dough and allow to proof in a warm place for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
While you wait, grate the chocolate and mix it with the dried cranberries.
When the dough is ready, sprinkle over the chocolate and dried fruit, then knead for a few minutes. Now divide the dough into 9 balls and shape them. Place on a prepared tray once formed and cover with cling wrap and allow to double in size for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C and prepare the crosses. Mix 50g of flour with enough water to create a thick batter, then transfer to a piping bag. Pipe thin crosses across the top of the buns.
Now bake the hot cross buns for 25-30 minutes. Once done, transfer to a cooling rack.
Drizzle the salted caramel on top of the hot cross buns and sprinkle lemon zest over, if desired. Serve with Kerrygold Salted butter.
Let the mixture continue boiling until it changes colour then remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Now mix in the butter, vanilla and salt and allow to cook for a further 1 minute or less.
Pour the caramel sauce into a dish or small container to cool.
Once cooled, pour the caramel sauce over the chocolate hot cross buns.
For the Hot Cross Buns
In a medium-sized pot, add butter and mixed spice and sugar on medium heat and gently mix until the mixture has melted.Remove from heat and pour in the milk, then add the egg and whisk well.
In a separate bowl, sift in the flour and cocoa powder followed by the yeast. Now make a well in the middle and pour in the milk mixture. Mix gently until the mixture forms a dough.
Knead on a flour-dusted surface for 5 minutes until the dough is mixed well and doesn't stick to your hands. Transfer to a flour-dusted surface. Cover your dough and allow to proof in a warm place for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
While you wait, grate the chocolate and mix it with the dried cranberries.
When the dough is ready, sprinkle over the chocolate and dried fruit, then knead for a few minutes. Now divide the dough into 9 balls and shape them. Place on a prepared tray once formed and cover with cling wrap and allow to double in size for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C and prepare the crosses. Mix 50g of flour with enough water to create a thick batter, then transfer to a piping bag. Pipe thin crosses across the top of the buns.
Now bake the hot cross buns for 25-30 minutes. Once done, transfer to a cooling rack.
Drizzle the salted caramel on top of the hot cross buns and sprinkle lemon zest over, if desired. Serve with Kerrygold Salted butter.
For the Salted Caramel Sauce
In a saucepan, heat the water and sugar over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture starts to bubble slightly. Increase the heat to high and allow to boil without stirring.Let the mixture continue boiling until it changes colour then remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Now mix in the butter, vanilla and salt and allow to cook for a further 1 minute or less.
Pour the caramel sauce into a dish or small container to cool.
Once cooled, pour the caramel sauce over the chocolate hot cross buns.
