Vegan Hot Cross Buns

INGREDIENTS

THE BUNS:

Dry ingredients:

• High grade flour, 580g or 4 cups
• Raw sugar, ½ cup
• BOTANISTRY ACTIVE CORALS, 2 teaspoons
• Ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons
• Orange zest, 1 tablespoon (approx. from 1 orange)
• Dry sultanas, 1 cup

Wet ingredients:

• Soy milk, 350ml
• Active dry yeast, 7g or 2 teaspoons
• Raw sugar, 2 teaspoons
• Vegan butter, melted, 90g or ½ heaped cup

THE CROSS:

• All purpose flour, 1/3 cup
• Water, 1/3 cup

THE GLAZE:

• Vegan butter, melted,1 tablespoon
• Maple syrup, 1 tablespoon
• Apricot jam, 1 tablespoon

METHOD

1. Pour soy milk into a large mixing jar and warm in the microwave for 40 seconds until milk is lukewarm.
2. In the same jar, stir in yeast and sugar, and whisk gently to combine and set aside for 5-10 mins to bloom the yeast.
3. Melt the vegan butter and set aside to cool. Add the melted butter into the yeast mixture.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add in all the dry ingredients and make a well in the centre. Pour the wet mixture into the mixing bowl and use a wooden spoon to combine into a sticky dough.
5. Place the dough into a stand mixer and knead the dough on medium speed for 7-10 mins until dough is soft and elastic.
6. Alternatively, knead the dough on a clean surface with some dusts of flour to form a soft and elastic dough.
7. Transfer the dough into a pre-greased bowl and let it proof for 1-2 hours or until it doubles in size.
8. Pouch the dough gently in the centre to release large bubbles and transfer the dough onto a clean surface. Divide the dough into 12 even parts and shape them into small balls.
9. Grease a large baking dish and line with baking paper. Transfer buns into the baking dish and cover with a clean tea towel to proof for another 30-45 mins or until nearly doubled in size.
10. Pre-heat oven to 180°C.
11. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix flour with water to create a paste and transfer the mixture into a piping bag. Pipe long lines across to create the cross for the buns.
12. Cover the buns with tin foil and bake in the oven for 15 mins. Remove the foil and continue to bake 7-10 mins until the surface is lightly golden but not dark and over baked.
13. Remove the buns out of the oven and allow to cool down.
14. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the glaze and warm up in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
15. Brush the glaze on the warm buns and serve with butter and jam.
16. Watch the video on how to make these Vegan Hot Cross Buns here.

TIPS & TRICKS

• You can make the dough the night before and let it proof overnight in the fridge. The next morning, take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit in room temperature for at least 1 hour or so before dividing into small buns. You will know the yeast mixture is bloomed when you see foaming at the top.
• Swap the flour and sugar with gluten-free flour and coconut sugar for a recipe that is free from gluten and refined sugar.
• An apple, pear or peach fruit jam would also work for the glaze.

RECIPE CREATOR

Ting Xu (@alittlepositivityeveryday) – Recipe creator and food photographer based in New Zealand. Powered by plants, Ting shares her positive outlook on life through colourful, wholesome recipes. Try two other recipes by Ting: Chocolate Orange Baked Oats and Tropical Nice Cream using BOOSTING AMBERS.