It’s that time of the year again… Hot Cross Bun time! These fluffy pikelets have the flavours and aroma of hot cross buns… minus the orange peel and dried fruit because I decided to go the chocolate chip route instead.

Yep, they’re studded with chips of dark chocolate that are all perfect and melty as you cut into the warm pikelets. The fluffy height comes from the yoghurt filled batter, you can use extra yoghurt to serve them with along with some warmed berries or simply jam thinned with a little hot water to a sauce consistency.

These make for an impressive and easy Easter Weekend Brunch. The batter does need to rest for half an hour so they rise nicely when you cook them, but in that time you can set the table/ shower, empty the dish washer, feed the doggos, ready a book, waste time on whatever social media you’re addicted to, do your hair, or whatever else your weekend morning routine consists of;)

I have also been busy creating a hot cross bun recipe for Red Island Extra Virgin Olive Oil for the last couple of weeks so if you’re after an actual hot cross bun recipe then that apricot and dark chocolate number is delightful.

The smell of these pikelets cooking is just as festive as actual hot cross buns so they’re an excellent substitute if you’re not up for making the real deal! And hot cross bun pikelets studded with dark chocolate, what could beat that?!

Serves 4 (2-3 pikelets per serve)

Ingredients

1 cup Flour

1.5 tsp cinnamon

A pinch nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp baking soda

1.5 cups plain yoghurt

1 egg

1 tsp olive oil

2 tsps maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

50g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

To serve

yoghurt and warmed blueberries or jam

Directions

Mix the wet ingredients together in a large bowl.

Sift the dry ingredients (excluding chocolate) into the wet ingredients and then fold until just combined. Set aside the dough for 30 minutes. When ready to cook, fold through the chocolate.

Place a large non stick fry pan on medium heat. Once hot, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil into the pan and swirl to lightly coat. Drop tablespoons or 1/4 cup scoops of mixture into pan (depending on how big you want them). Cook the pikelets for 2-3 minutes on one side, or until you can see the dough cooking a few millimetres up the side of the pikelet. Turn, they should be nice and golden. Repeat on the other side. Serve immediately.

I like to serve them with warm berries or a jam thinned with a little hot water to create a sauce consistency.

HH. x