choc chip hot cross buns

Ingredients:

buns:
300 ml of luke-warm milk
1 tbs dried yeast
4 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground all-spice
90g butter - chopped)
1 cup choc bits
1/2 cup sultanas
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 egg

glaze (to be brushed over buns when they are removed from the oven):
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground all-spice

cross:
150g chocolate - melted

1. place warm milk in a bowl or jug and mix in caster sugar and yeast.  cover with cling wrap and stand in a warm spot for 10 minutes until frothy.
2. sift flour and spices into a large bowl and rub in butter with fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in choc chips and sultanas.
3. whisk egg into milk mixture and pour over dry ingredients.Mix to a soft dough.Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5-10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
4. Place dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with cling wrap and a tea towel and place in a warm spot for 45 minutes or until the dough doubles in size (proving).
5. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
6. Punch dough down in bowl to release air and then knead again on a lightly floured surface until smooth.
7. Divide dough into 12 pieces and roll into round buns. Place close together on a tray lined with baking paper.
8. Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm place for 45 minutes until buns double in size.
9. Bake in oven for 15 minutes then turn oven down to 175 degrees and bake for a further 5 minutes or until buns sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven.

GLAZE
1. Combine ingredients for glaze in a small saucepan and bring to boil on high stirring until sugar dissolves.
2.Reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes without stirring.
3. Brush over hot buns.

CROSSES
Melt chocolate and then place in a snap lock or freezer bag. Cut a small corner off bag and pipe crosses onto buns.

Place buns on wire rack to cool.

VERDICT FOR THE KIDS:

Well, these buns worked a treat! Caitie could help with most of the steps which she loved but she lost interest a bit because of the 45 minute breaks waiting for the dough to rise. She kept asking if the dough was awake yet. The only steps she couldn't help with were the baking of the buns and making the glaze. She also thought the milk/sugar/yeast mix smelled delicious which, considering it smelt a bit  like beer, might be a bit of a concern! It was nice to be cooking something that was related to this special time of year and we will do it again next year.
As a cooking with the kids dish I would rate it 8/10 the main thing letting it down was the proving times and the amount of kneading required which, at 2, Caitie couldn't do effectively. She really enjoyed the final product though which is a huge part of the reason we cook together so much....to enjoy the results of our efforts!