Custard Cross Cocoa Bun (SSL)

My custard cross cocoa buns were inspired by the popular hot cross buns. As I am not a fan of spiced buns, I opted for cocoa buns filled with melted semi-sweetened chocolate chips. The plain flour white cross over the original hot cross buns were substituted by the sweetly scented custard cream. Happy with my version of hot cross buns 😍😍😋😋

Sweet Stiff Levain SSL (120 ~ 125g)

Ingredients

30g water

13g raw sugar

20~22g natural yeast, 100% hydration

60g superior bread flour/bread flour

- Add water, raw sugar and natural yeast in a small bowl. Stir to mix well.

- Add in the bread flour, and stir in one direction till it is pulled to form a dough.

- Store the sweet stiff levain in a tall container for about 6 hours, or till it triples in size.

Ready to use 😍

Cocoa Milk Bread Dough

Ingredients

A.

200g superior bread flour/bread flour

25g superfine wholegrain flour/plain flour

10g dark cocoa powder

30g raw sugar/fine sugar

1g instant dry yeast

B

120~125g sweet stiff levain from above

C

120g low fat milk, cold

20g whipping cream

20g beaten egg

40g cold water, to be added as necessary

D

3g low-sodium salt

E

20g unsalted butter

Filling

60g semi-sweet chocolate chips

Egg wash

Some beaten egg as egg wash before baking

Custard Cream

Ingredients

25g instant custard powder *

20g whipping cream

60g low fat milk

* Instant custard powder does not need heating, just add liquid to the powder to form custard.

Directions

Knead dough into window pane using your preferred method

1. Mix all ingredient A in a big mixing bowl. 

2. Add ingredient B into the mixing bowl. Use your fingers to pull the SSL into smaller pieces.

3. Gradually add in Ingredient C, mix in one direction, till the dough pull away from the side of the mixing bowl, and form into a ball. Cover and let the dough rest for about 15 minutes.

4. Use a hand mixer fitted with a pair of dough hooks, and knead the dough till smoother. Add in Ingredient D,

 followed by Ingredient E. Knead the dough till smoother.

Performance about 200 sets of "slapping and folding" till reaching window pane.

5. Shape the dough into a ball and keep it in a plastic bag coated with a thin layer of oil. Tie a loose knot, keep in a second plastic bag, and put in a covered bowl. Store in the fridge to undergo cold fermentation for about 14 to 16 hours, or overnight.

6. Remove the outer plastic bag, invert the dough and let it thaw at room temperature for about 60 to 90 minutes

7. Turn the dough onto a floured worktop, deflate the dough, and divide it into 12 portions. Roll each dough into a ball. Cover with a cloth and let them rest for about 15 minutes.

8. Roll flat a dough, 

add about 5g of semi-sweetened chocolate chips to the dough face.

Wrap up the dough, pinch to seal.

Roll the dough into a ball.

Slightly flattened the dough ball.

9. Arrange the shaped dough over a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Spray some mist over, and let the shaped dough proof in a cold oven for about 40 minutes.

40 minutes later 👇

10. While waiting for the shaped dough to proof, prepare the custard cream in advance.

Add low fat milk and whipping cream to the instant custard powder.

Mix using a small whisk. 

Let the custard stand for about 15 minutes.

.

Transfer the custard cream to a piping bag fitted with a 5mm diameter round nozzle, or snip off the tip of the piping bag. Set it aside.

10. Remove the proofed dough from the oven. And start to preheat the oven to 190℃ for about 10 minutes. 

Brush some beaten egg over the entire face of the shaped dough.

11. Pipe custard cream across the entire face of the shaped dough in pattern of your preference. 

11. Bake in the middle rack of a preheated oven. Lower the temperature to 180℃ after closing the oven door. Bake at 180℃ for about 10 minutes, lower the temperature to 170℃ and bake for another 10 minutes. 

12. Remove the tray of buns from the oven, and let them cool down a while before serving.