Hot Cross Buns minus the cross

Poor Mick has not had one hot cross bun this Easter season. I came across a post for Donna Hay's recipe on the Vogue forums. I thought it would be easier to make chocolate chip ones instead of the traditional buns, no mixed peel and I can use the rest of the chips for something else. It is also Good Friday and no shops are suppose to be opened. I needed something from Spotlight before starting my portable change mat. So it was baking for today instead of sewing!



I had set up the trusty KitchenAid dough hook and I was pumped. When I mixed the warm milk and yeast together with sugar, I kept thinking that I have managed to stuff it up and kill the yeast with milk that is too hot. Mick helped with the KitchenAid mixer - I am not used to mixing dough! Lucky he did or flour would have been flying out the bowl. This machine is awesome, it takes no time to mix the dough and Mick kneaded it slightly .. ta da it was ready to sit and rise! So sat it did for ages. Then we rolled them out to little balls for the tray ... and waited some more!



We decided not to make the traditional cross on top of the buns. Ok so they are just buns not Hot Cross. After 30 minutes in the oven at 160 degrees.. Mmmmmm HOT CROSS BUNS minus the cross! Now some more waiting... glazed buns have to cool.. mmmm we could not wait that long for them to cool. We have scoffed down 2 of these babies. A contented Pork Chop who slept through most of the day and very happy Mick. Snowy does not do buns, only kibble but she is looking really happy between us now.