A hot cross bun is traditionally made by adding sugar, spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg together with currants or raisins and marked with a cross on the top. These were usually sold just weeks before Easter but lately, they tend to be in the Supermarkets and bakeries right after Valentine’s Day. I enjoy having these warm with some butter and jam. I usually buy these from the bakery but decided to make a vegan version this year.
Author: Mina Joshi
Ingredients
300gmbread mixplus extra for dusting
30gmcaster sugar
½tspground cinnamon
½ tspground nutmeg
½lemon, zested
150mlsunsweetened soya milk
30gmmashed banana
20mlssunflower oil (or other flavourless oil), plus some for greasing
60 gmraisins
For the tops
25 gmsstrong white bread flour
½ cupfresh orange juice
2tblssugar
Instructions
Add the bread mix to a large mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and the zest of the lemon.
Pour the sunflower oil into the flour mixture and mix gently. Add in the mashed banana and mix. Slightly warm the milk and use it to mix the dough. Keep mixing until it gets nice and sticky.
Transfer the dough onto a floured work top and knead the dough adding in the raisins and chocolate chips. Keep kneading for about 10 mins, until the dough is smooth. Keep the dough covered in a greased bowl in a warm place for 2 hours.
The dough should have risen twice its size by now. Dust some flour on a work top and turn out the dough on to it. Knead the dough to remove most of the air.
Divide the dough into 6 equal and roll them into round balls.
Transfer the balls on to a greased baking tray and cover with clingfilm for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F or Gas mark 6) and prepare the topping by mixing the flour with 35 mls of warm water. Transfer this mixture to a piping bag or a plastic bag with a corner chopped off.
After an hour, pipe the cross on the bread buns and put them in the oven for 10 -15 minutes.
Now prepare the glaze by heating the orange juice and sugar. Once the sugar dissolves, take it off the heat.
Once the hot cross buns are cooked, glaze the buns with the orange solution.
Enjoy them warm with butter and jam.
Notes
Oven temperatures could vary so do keep an eye on your oven.