Helen Goh’s sophisticated choc spin will tempt even the most traditional hot cross bun fans

Name: Helen Goh’s sophisticated choc spin will tempt even the most traditional hot cross bun fans
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 50g sultanas; 50g currants; 50g raisins; 50g candied mixed peel; 200ml strong, hot black tea; 20g cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed); 300ml full-fat milk; 430g strong bread flour, plus extra for tossing fruit and kneading; 2 tsp dried yeast; 80g light-brown sugar; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 2½ tsp mixed spice; 1 tsp fine sea salt (reduce slightly if using table salt); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 large egg, beaten; 60g unsalted butter, softened and cubed, plus 10g extra to grease the bowl; 120g chocolate (50-60 per cent cocoa mass), chopped (see note), or use chocolate chips

In this grown-up twist on the Easter classic, cocoa and dark chocolate chunks add depth, casting fruit and spices into molten relief.

Helen Goh

March 29, 2026

Time:2 hours +Makes:12

I wasn’t planning to make chocolate hot cross buns. My new fruit version, fragrant with spice and heavy with vine fruits, is now the one I reach for each year without hesitation. Hot cross buns are, after all, anchored in familiarity.

And yet chocolate has its own quiet logic here. Cocoa deepens rather than disrupts, casting the spices into sharper relief and tempering the sweetness of the fruit.

The addition of chopped dark chocolate – rather than just cocoa – introduces molten pockets of bitter-sweetness that break up the dough. Together, they shift the bun away from the purely sweet and into something far more sophisticated.

Ingredients

FOR THE BUNS

50g sultanas
50g currants
50g raisins
50g candied mixed peel
200ml strong, hot black tea
20g cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)
300ml full-fat milk
430g strong bread flour, plus extra for tossing fruit and kneading
2 tsp dried yeast
80g light-brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2½ tsp mixed spice
1 tsp fine sea salt (reduce slightly if using table salt)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg, beaten
60g unsalted butter, softened and cubed, plus 10g extra to grease the bowl
120g chocolate (50-60 per cent cocoa mass), chopped (see note), or use chocolate chips

FOR THE CROSS

60g plain flour
10g cocoa powder
1 tbsp caster sugar
pinch of salt
60-70ml water

FOR THE GLAZE

80g caster sugar
50ml water
pared strip of orange zest

Method

Step 1
Combine the sultanas, currants, raisins and mixed peel in a bowl. Pour over the hot tea and set aside at room temperature to macerate.
Step 2
Place the cocoa powder in a small bowl. Warm the milk in a saucepan over low heat until just lukewarm, then remove from the heat. Pour 50ml of the warm milk over the cocoa powder and whisk into a smooth paste. In a small jug, combine 150ml of the milk with the yeast and set aside.
Step 3
Return the remaining 100ml of milk to the saucepan and add 30g of the bread flour. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes until a thick, smooth paste forms. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature; this is your tangzhong.
Step 4
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the remaining 400g flour, brown sugar, spices and salt. Add the cooled tangzhong, yeast mixture, cocoa paste, vanilla and 40g of the beaten egg (reserving the remainder for the egg wash).
Step 5
Using the dough hook, mix on medium-low speed for about 1 minute until a sticky dough forms. Incorporate the butter a few pieces at a time, ensuring each addition is well combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is soft, slightly tacky, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Step 6
To check, perform the windowpane test: stretch a small piece of dough between your fingers. It should form a thin, translucent membrane; if it tears easily, continue kneading for another minute or two.
Step 7
Drain the soaked fruit and discard the liquid. Toss the fruit in 20g of flour to coat, then fold into the dough in four additions, mixing on low speed until just incorporated. Add the chocolate and mix briefly. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead – adding a dusting of flour only as needed – until the texture is smooth, elastic and supple.
Step 8
Lightly grease a large bowl with the extra butter. Place the dough inside and cover, leaving it to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size – usually 1 to 2 hours, depending on the room temperature.
Step 9
Line the base of a 23cm x 33cm baking tray with baking paper.
Step 10
Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal portions (about 110g each). Shape each into a smooth ball by folding the edges into the centre, then rolling seam-side down under your palm. Arrange the buns on the tray so they are close together but not touching. Cover loosely and allow to rise for 45-60 minutes until puffy.
Step 11
While the buns rise, make the paste for the cross by combining all ingredients in a small bowl and stirring until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 5-6mm nozzle (or a press-seal bag with the corner snipped).
Step 12
Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional).
Step 13
Brush the risen buns with the reserved beaten egg and pipe a cross on each. Bake for about 28 minutes until well-risen and firm.
Step 14
While the buns are in the oven, combine the sugar, water and orange zest strip in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for two minutes until lightly syrupy.
Step 15
Brush the buns with the glaze while they are still hot, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm, split and spread generously with salted butter.

Tips

Plump and juicy: Dried fruit can be notoriously “thirsty”, robbing the surrounding crumb of moisture during baking. Soaking the fruit in tea rehydrates the fruit, ensuring it remains plump and tender, while preventing it from scorching and turning acrid in the oven.

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Chop to size: When chopping the chocolate, aim for pieces roughly the size of a standard chocolate chip. While large chunks create great “pools” of melted chocolate, they can make the dough difficult to roll. A smaller, more consistent chop ensures a perfect distribution in every bite.

1 / 3Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth and elastic.Steve Brown; STYLING Emma Knowles

2 / 3Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and leave it to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.Steve Brown; STYLING Emma Knowles

3 / 3Add the crosses using a piping bag with a small nozzle.Steve Brown; STYLING Emma Knowles

Milk bread magic: The softness of these buns comes from tangzhong, a technique borrowed from Japanese milk bread, in which a small portion of flour and milk is cooked into a paste before being added to the dough. This brief but transformative step allows the starches to absorb and retain more liquid, resulting in dough that is silkier to handle and very tender once baked.
Set the timer: Adding cocoa makes the dough more prone to drying out. For the perfect pillowy texture, I recommend pulling these out of the oven at the 28-minute mark rather than the full 30. That final two-minute window is the difference between a moist bun and one that’s strayed into over-baked territory.
Storage savvy: Chocolate hot cross buns have a shorter shelf-life than the traditional spiced variety. To keep them soft and pillowy overnight, wrap them tightly in cling film or seal them in an airtight bag as soon as they’ve cooled.
Toast with care: Keep a close eye on the toaster. The sugar in the chocolate chips can catch and burn much faster than dried fruit. For the best results, use a lower setting or a quick blast under the grill to get that perfect melt without the char.