Sweet yeasted bun – Feasting Is Fun

Double Chocolate Chip Iced Buns

Christmas will soon be upon us and among the festive food chocolate plays a prominent role. Whether in advent calendars, selection packs, gold coins or the many foil wrapped, boxed and displayed chocolate treats, it is central to celebration feasting. Therefore these Double Chocolate Chip Iced Buns are the perfect treat to share and enjoy over the holiday season, or any special occasion.

Since, if you’re going to make a chocolate bun it really should be THE BEST tasting chocolate bun ever. While light and fluffy these buns are packed with chocolate chips and finished with a thick chocolate icing. Also these buns tick every box , not too sweet, not too rich, simply the perfect balance of flavour and texture baked into the very best tasting breakfast bun. Alternatively eaten with coffee as an afternoon treat, these buns need no excuse to be eaten!

Chocolate Buns – the ultimate breakfast – dessert

While these incredible tasting, chocolate packed buns were made with Christmas in mind, there really is no reason at all to stop you baking them at other times. Any chocolate lover would appreciate a birthday breakfast of Double Chocolate Chip Iced Buns. Especially if you have friends staying, sleepovers, special occasions, all the perfect excuse to bake. Finally, they are made and left to prove overnight, so all that’s left to do is bake and glaze in the morning. Easy.

As soon as my chief taste testers, here at Feasting headquarters had tasted these buns, success was proclaimed. Even from the harshest of my critics. Yummy, mmm are there more, escaped from messy chocolate mouths. As for me, the harshest judge of all, well, I am impressed. All of the attempts at making the perfect chocolate swirl bread have paid off. Flavour and texture in perfect chocolate swirled harmony.

Recipe: Double Chocolate Iced Buns makes 10

300ml/10.5fl oz Whole Milk

75g/3oz Unsalted Butter

7g Dried Yeast

2tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

1tsp Caster Sugar

2 Large Free Range Eggs

50g/2oz Cocoa Powder – I use Callebaut

500g/1lb 2oz Strong White Flour

7g Salt – I use Maldon

250g/9oz Milk Chocolate Chips or chopped chocolate – do not use stabilised chocolate chips, as you would for chocolate chip cookies, the chocolate should melt when baked.

Glaze:

250g/9oz Icing Sugar

50g/2oz Cocoa Powder

Method:

Note: I strongly recommend using a stand mixer with dough hook attachment for mixing the dough. The chocolate dough has a high butter content and is extremely sticky. Using a stand mixer ensures thorough mixing of the dough.

Making the chocolate brioche dough

Measure the milk into a microwaveable jug and then add the butter broken into small pieces. Zap in the microwave until the milk is slightly warmed. It should feel the same as body temperature. Also the butter will soften and start to melt.
Pour the warmed milk/butter into the bowl of the stand mixer.
Add the yeast, sugar, vanilla extract and both eggs to the bowl.
Next add the flour, cocoa powder and salt.
With the dough hook attached mix slowly until the ingredients are combined into a dough. Continue mixing on medium speed for a further 20 minutes.
Stop the mixer, lift the dough hook and scrape any dough back into the bowl. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave in a draft free place until doubled in size. This first prove may take up to 2 hours.

Shaping the chocolate dough into rolls

As soon as the dough is ready, turn out on to a lightly floured worktop. A plastic scraper will help release all of the dough from the bowl.
Using the technique shown in Easy Homemade Cottage Loaf, pull out the dough and press into the centre. Continue around the edge until the dough is neat and smooth.
Roll the dough out until it is 30.5cm D x 35.5cm W (12” x 14”) rectangle.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips/chopped chocolate evenly over the dough.

Rolling from the wide side of the dough, take the front edge, starting at one side, roll and tuck the chocolate and dough. Continue across the front edge of the dough until you have formed the beginning of a roll. Evenly roll the entire dough, tucking and ensuring it is even. Finish with the seam underneath the finished roll.
Using a sharp knife cut off the uneven sides. Divide the roll in half and then cut 5 even potions from each half. Saw through the dough, using the blade to cut through.
Place the buns into a large, well buttered baking tin with deep sides. Alternatively butter 2 deep 8 inch cake tins and place 5 chocolate buns into each. Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight. The dough will prove very slowly in the cold fridge.

Baking The Double Chocolate Chip Buns

The next morning remove the chocolate buns from the fridge and allow to come up to room temperature, approximately 30 minutes.
While the buns are warming preheat the oven 200C/180C fan, 400F, gas mark 6.

As soon as the buns have warmed place in to the centre of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.
While the buns are baking make the chocolate icing glaze. Weigh the icing sugar and cocoa into a large jug. Add approximately 6 tablespoons of hot water and stir to mix. The icing should be thick yet still able to pour. If needed add extra hot water one tablespoon at a time. Note – the icing will thicken on cooling.
Check the buns after 30 minutes. They are baked when the top of the buns are firm and sounds hollow when tapped.
Once baked remove from the oven.
Run a palette knife around the outside edge of the buns, carefully lifting the edge of the buns as you do so.
Place a large board, (I use a chopping board) over the top of the baking tin. Using oven gloves to protect from the heat turn the buns out of the tin.
Again place a serving dish over the board flip over and the chocolate buns will be right side up, ready to be glazed.
Use a knife to gently cut through where each bun joins the next. Move the buns so there is a small gap between them, this ensures the glaze can drip down the sides.

Pouring on the icing

While the buns are still hot pour over the thick, glossy, chocolate icing.

Serve the buns warm for breakfast as an extra special treat. While these buns are best eaten on the day they are baked they will keep for 2 days in an airtight container. A quick 10 second zap in the microwave warms cold buns ready to eat.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Double Chocolate Chip Iced Buns you may also like these:

Homemade Chelsea Buns

Cinnamon Plaited Brioche Bread

Christmas Spiced Fruit Loaf

Make ahead recipes are a great way to enjoy incredible feasts without having to get up early or spend all day in the kitchen. Because spending time with family and friends enjoying food together is always more important than being stuck in the kitchen, away from the fun. While it is fun to bake and cook together, not everyone has large, open plan kitchens that make this possible. Therefore having this recipe enables you to serve freshly baked buns with minimal effort.

Would you like more make ahead recipes, here on Feasting is Fun?

Whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing your feast

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Date Ginger Iced Buns

Easter seems such a long time ago now and yet I still find myself missing the adventure of creating new hot cross bun flavours. So, instead I took one of my favourite flavour combinations this year, the Ginger Date Hot Cross Bun and played around with it. The result is these utterly yummy Date Ginger Iced Buns.

A sweet yeasted bun packed with medjool dates, stem ginger and freshly grated nutmeg. Baked until golden brown and then slathered with thick glacé icing.

These Date Ginger Iced Buns are sticky, not overly sweet, finger licking portions of loveliness.

I adored the flavour combination when I made the hot cross buns, but knew I needed to vamp up the recipe. When toasting hot cross buns, the heat enhances the flavour, as these buns were to be eaten cold I knew I’d have to pack more flavour in. After making these three times I am finally happy with the recipe.

Playing around with recipes is part of the fun of being a food blogger. When Waitrose ran a competition on Twitter for new hot cross bun flavours I was absolutely in my element and went on to make a couple of my suggestions, including the Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns.

Over the recent months, experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes, carrying out reviews and writing this blog, has really helped me. My body is still completely messed up, with me having around sixty seizures a week, yet focusing on my blog, although not easy at times, has definitely given me a sense of accomplishment.

It is hard not to become frustrated and I frequently do, that is when I re-read all of the lovely comments you leave. Today I am really struggling with pain, which means it’s hard to concentrate on writing these words – yet this recipe is so good, so delicious, that I really want to share it with you so that you can make the Date Ginger Iced Buns over the weekend.

I write this not to elicite sympathy from you, simply to explain what my reality is – see Adapting to a new normal. Sometimes life isn’t all sunshine and roses. Usually the kitchen is my retreat, somewhere to escape to as a distraction, yet today my bed is my sanctuary.

On a more positive note, one of the most enjoyable reviews has been using the delicious medjool dates from The Medjool Date Co. This recipe has used the last of the dates, sob. They are completely addictive and utterly divine. I might have made more recipes had I not snaffled so many whilst cooking and baking with them!

I will definitely be getting more of these delicious medjool dates. Their sticky, not overly sweet flavour is so versatile in cooking/baking and they are wonderful to snack on too. I highly recommend them.

Recipe: Makes 12 Date Ginger Iced Buns

550g/1lb 4oz Strong White Bread Flour

160ml Whole Milk – warmed to body temperature

120ml Tepid Water

2 Large Eggs – I use free range

1tbsp Honey

10g/1.5 Sachet Fast Acting Dried Yeast

10g/ approx 1tsp Salt

50g/2oz Unsalted Butter

200g/8oz Medjool Dates – pitted and chopped to medium dice

3 Balls of Stem Ginger – removed from the syrup and finely diced

1/2tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg

For the glace icing:

400g/14oz Icing Sugar

2tbsp Syrup from the stem ginger jar

Method:

This method is for use with a bread maker or stand mixer, if you wish to make by hand please do, the quantities are the same, make sure you knead the dough for 10 minutes before adding the fruit.

The ‘bowl’ refers to the bowl of a stand mixer or the mixing compartment of a bread maker.

Add both the milk and water to the bowl.
Next add both eggs, the honey and yeast.
Swish about with clean fingers to mix.
Now add the flour on top of the liquid mixture.
Place the salt and butter on top of the flour.

For a bread maker, set the cycle to dough and press start. When prompted by the machine, or 5 minutes before mixing stops, add the chopped dates, finely diced stem ginger and nutmeg. Allow the bread maker to complete the dough cycle.

When the bread maker has completed the dough cycle, ensure the dough has doubled in size, if not wait until it has. Then re start the dough cycle for 2 minutes, this will ‘knock back’ the dough for you.

For a stand mixer attach the dough hook. Start mixing on a low speed. Once the contents of the bowl resemble dough continue to mix on medium/slow speed for 5 minutes. Stop the mixer. Scrape all the dough, from the hook, into the bowl. Add the chopped dates, finely diced stem ginger and nutmeg . Lower the dough hook and mix on medium speed for a further 5 minutes.

After the 5 minutes mixing is complete, stop the mixer. Scrape all the dough back into the bowl, it will be very sticky – don’t worry. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a draught free place until doubled in size – 1 – 1 1/2 hours.

Once the stand mixer dough has doubled in size, lower the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, this will ‘knock back’ the dough for you.

Shaping the buns:

Tip the dough out on to a clean, floured surface.
Divide the dough in half and then divide each half into 6 portions. You can use scales if you want to be absolutely accurate.
Flour your hands well, this dough is sticky.
Form each portion of dough into a ball shape.
Place on to a buttered baking tray, leaving space in between each bun to allow it to rise.
When all the buns are shaped cover the baking tray with a clean tea towel. Leave in a draught free place until the buns are doubled in size – approx 1 hour.
When the buns are almost doubled, preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6.

When the buns have doubled in size place the baking tray into the centre of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Enjoy the smell of these delicious buns baking in your oven. There’s a reason, during the build up to Easter, that you smell Hot Cross Buns as soon as you walk into a supermaket!!!
The buns are baked when they are golden brown and sound hollow whe rapped on the base with you knuckle.
Once baked remove the buns from the oven and immediately transfer them to a cooling rack.

Leave the date and ginger buns to cool completely before icing.

To make the glace icing:

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add the syrup from the stem ginger jar.
Add just enough water 2-3tsp to the bowl to make a very thick, but still spoonable paste.
Using a dessert spoon, carefully swirl some of the thick icing on to each of the buns. The icing will drip very slightly.
Allow the Date Ginger Iced Buns to set on the cooling rack.

Now it’s time to put the kettle on as all of your neighbours will soon be knocking at your front door, drawn in by the tantalising aroma of freshly baked fruit buns!!

A quick tip, if these aren’t all to be snaffled straight away, is to pop half of them into a freezer bag – un-iced. They can be frozen for up to a month. Defrost fully before icing, or skip the icing and enjoy the buns toasted. with lashing of butter.

The freshly iced buns will keep for 24 hours in an airtight container. I use an old biscuit tin.

Do let me know if you try this recipe. I love getting feedback on my recipes.

If you have enjoyed these yummy Date Ginger Iced Buns you may also like these other recipes using dates:

Coconut Almond Date Flapjacks

Ginger Date Hot Cross Buns

RT Ginger Gate Hot Cross Buns — Ginger Date Hot Cross Buns a complete taste sensation.

Morrocan Lamb Stew

The Medjool Dates were truly a feast in themselves, yet I also found them so versatile in the kitchen. Keep your eyes open for more delicious date recipes on Feasting is Fun!

Whatever you make or bake in your kitchens this weekend,I reallythat hope you have fun and enjoy sharing your feast with others.

Sammie xx

The Medjool Date Company provided me with the dates for this recipe. All views, opinions and content contained within this post are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Homemade Chelsea Buns

Hi, so it’s mid November and the excitement for Christmas in our house is definitely building. We all love Christmas, even though we still have our daughter’s and my birthday to celebrate in December, before Christmas. These amazing Homemade Chelsea Buns are perfect for baking any time of the year, but especially in the run up to Christmas. The scent of cinnamon and bread, fills the house as these buns bake in the oven.

I love the build up to Christmas. Stir up Sunday when we make our Christmas cake, advent calenders, present shopping, decorations. Spending time with friends and family, getting excited together.

As a family we all love each single thread that pulls together and makes a complete Christmas. The spicy scents, wafting from the kitchen, that evoke memories and shared experiences.

Creating a surprise

Our children and their parents, love these Homemade Chelsea Buns with a big mug of steaming coffee, or hot chocolate, for breakfast. Unravelling the light, spiced dough and uncovering juicy, plump, sweet, fruits. Sticky and sweet. Traditionally Chelsea Buns are finished with a sprinkle of sugar, however since discovering how good they taste with a lemon drizzle on top I wouldn’t want to make them any other way.

One of my favourite things to do at the weekend is to sneak downstairs, whilst everyone else is still asleep and make something scrumptious for breakfast. and that is exactly what I did a couple of weeks ago. I couldn’t sleep, so I snuck into the kitchen, fuelled by hot cups of tea and baked these Homemade Chelsea Buns.

Everyone was so happy when they awoke to the scent of home cooking and found a big plate of warm buns, waiting to be devoured, on the table.

Unfortunately, due to the early morning light, the photos weren’t great. Shame eh? So I made these again during the day and they were gone by the following afternoon! Happily I had snapped some photos, before they were all munched.

I wouldn’t want you to limit making these only over the festive season. They are however, a wonderful warm up to full on Christmas cooking and baking.

Recipe: Makes 12 Homemade Chelsea Buns

For the buns

500g/1lb 2oz Strong White Bread Flour I use Shipton Mill (organic white bread flour)

10g Fast Action Dried Yeas – I use Allinson Dried Yeast in the green tub or sachets

250ml/8fl oz Whole Milk – at room temperature

2 Large Free Range Eggs

25g/1oz Caster Sugar

50g/2oz Unsalted Butter

10g Salt

225g/8oz Dried Mixed Fruits – alternatively, if you are not a fan of vine fruits, dried figs, dates, apricots and cranberries all work extremely well in this recipe.

100g/4oz Soft Light Brown Sugar

4tsp Cinnamon

For the glaze

150g/5oz Icing Sugar

Juice of 1 Lemon

Method: You will need a buttered or baking parchment lined 10″ x 12″ baking tin at least 2” deep (25cm x 30cm x 5cm).

Making the bun dough

In the bowl of a bread maker or a stand mixer, with a dough hook attached, add the milk, lightly beaten egg, caster sugar and yeast.

Add the flour, salt and butter.

Switch the bread maker cycle to dough and press start.

With a stand mixer, lower the dough hook and mix on medium speed until all the ingredients are combined. Continue mixing for a further 10 minutes. Turn the mixer off. Place all the dough into the bowl, cover with a clean cloth and leave until doubled in size – approximately 1-2 hours.

While the dough is proving mix the dried fruit, sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set to one side.

When the bread maker has completed its dough cycle, restart for 2 minutes, to mix and knock back the dough.

With the stand mixer, once the dough has doubled in size, remove the cloth and turn out the dough on to a floured surface.

Shaping and filling the buns

Turn the bread out on to a floured surface and form into a ball.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle 12” x 9” (30cm x 22.5cm)

Spinkle over the spiced fruit and sugar mixture so that it evenly covers the dough.

Roll the dough up as tightly as possible.

Ensure that the seam is underneath.

Cut the rolled dough into 12 even portions. I find the easiest way is to cut the dough in half, cut each half in half and then cut each portion into 3.

Place the buns into the buttered/lined baking tin.

Cover with a clean cloth, leave in a draught free place until doubled in size – approximately 30-45 minutes.

Baking the buns and adding the lemon drizzle

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan, 10 minutes before the buns are ready
Place the tin in the middle of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
The buns are cooked when they are golden and well risen.
As soon as the buns are baked remove from the oven.
Lift the baked buns out of the tin or use a pallet knife to loosen and lift the buns from the tin.
Place on to a cooling rack.

Weigh the icing sugar into a medium bowl. Stir briefly with a balloon whisk to break up any lumps.
Add the juice from one lemon.
Whisk the mixture together until it is smooth.
Either fill a small piping bag with the lemon icing, snip a small hole and pipe the drizzle diagonally across the buns, or use a spoon to drizzle over the icing.

Time to delve in and devour a bun. They are absolutely delicious warm. Whether it’s a family breakfast around the table, or after a long afternoon walk, these Homemade Chelsea Buns are perfect at any time!

These buns are at their best the day they are made. However a quick and I mean less than 10 seconds, ping in the microwave refreshes them the following day.

If you enjoyed baking these Homemade Chelsea Buns, you may also like:

Knotted Poppyseed Rolls

English Muffins

Sticky Pecan Sultana Buns

Creating memories and new traditions is important to me. Food plays a crucial part in that. As we sit round the table for dinner, in front of the telly with snacks, or at the beach with a well packed picnic I am always aware that these will be the times we remember. One special memory, is of a bonfire night, spent with my sister and her family, toasting s’mores around the fire and laughing. That is when feasting truly is fun!

Whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.