Cranberry and Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

method:

• Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Mix the flour, dried yeast and caster sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour half the milk in the centre of the well and add the vanilla paste. Add the melted butter and all but 15ml of the beaten egg. Gently mix into the flour using a wooden spoon to form a smooth paste in the middle. Stir in the chocolate chunks and cranberries.
• Gradually pour and mix in the remaining milk, stirring to form a slightly sticky, moist dough in the centre of the bowl.
• Turn the dough on to the work surface. Knead until the dough is silky smooth and elastic, and it no longer sticks to the work surface; this will take about 10 minutes. Only use flour to dust the work surface or your hands if the mixture is very sticky - the longer you work the dough the less sticky it will become.
• Put the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, big enough to allow room for the dough to double in size. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise at a cool room temperature for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
• Once the dough has risen, push the dough with your knuckles to deflate it and turn it on to a lightly floured work surface. Form the dough into a ball and let it rest for five minutes on the work surface.
• Divide into 10 equal portions and form into balls. Place spaced a little apart on the baking tray. Cover with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place for about 40 minutes or until doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 220˚C/425˚F/Gas Mark 7. Brush the reserved egg all over the buns. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden and they sound hollow when tapped.
• Meanwhile, prepare the decoration. Put the milk in a saucepan with the caster sugar. Heat gently, stirring until dissolved, then bring to the boil and simmer for one minute until syrupy. Once the buns are cooked, brush them generously all over with the sugary milk glaze. Transfer the buns to a wire rack to cool.
• Break up the white chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water; leave to melt. Remove the chocolate from the water, add 15 drops pink vegetarian food colouring and mix in quickly. Spoon into a small uncut piping bag. Snip off the end and pipe a thick pink chocolate cross on top of each bun. Leave the chocolate to set for a few minutes. Your hot cross buns are now ready to serve and enjoy.