Chocolate & tropical fruit hot cross buns

• sultanas↗50g g
• dried pineapple↗50g g
• dried mango50g g
• dark rum↗2tbsp tbsp
• strong white bread flour↗500g g

  plus extra for dusting

• sachet fast-action dried yeast↗7g g
• golden caster sugar↗50g g
• cinnamon↗
• olive oil↗3tbsp tbsp
• orange↗1

  zested

• chopped dark chocolate↗50g g
• milk↗

  for brushing

• plain flour↗50g g
• apricot jam↗2tbsp tbsp
• melted dark chocolate50g g

  for drizzling

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Soak the sultanas, pineapple and mango in the rum for 1 hr.

2. 2

   Mix the bread flour, yeast, sugar, cinnamon, oil, 2 tsp sea salt and 350ml warm water in a bowl with a spoon first, and then with your hands. Add the zest, chopped chocolate and soaked fruit and continue to knead (or use a mixer fitted with a dough hook) for around 10 mins until it feels less sticky. Shape into a ball, return to the bowl and cover. Leave to rise for about 1 hr or until doubled in size (or leave in the fridge overnight).

3. 3

   Knock the air out of the dough. On a floured surface, shape into eight buns. Put the buns on a baking tray lined with baking parchment (no more than 2cm apart) and prove somewhere warm for 1 hr or until well risen.

4. 4

   Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Brush the bun tops with milk. Mix the plain flour with water to make a paste, transfer to a piping bag and pipe crosses on top. Bake for 25-30 mins or until golden and risen. Brush with the jam while still warm. Once cooled, drizzle with the melted dark chocolate.