Vegan Hot Cross Buns
Delicious vegan hot cross buns commemorate the crucifixion of Christ with the cross on top and the spices used symbolizes the spices used to embalm His body. These buns are eatend during Good Friday.
Equipment
- 2 mixing bowls
- measuring cups and spoons
- baking tray
- silicone mat or parchment paper
- mixer (optional)
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 ¼ tsp instant dry yeast or active dry yeast or 90g sourdough discard
- ¼ cup brown sugar (option: white sugar)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- ? cup melted vegan butter (option: oil)
- ¾ cups unsweetened dairy-free milk
- 1 tbsp lemon zest or orange zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- Mix wet ingredients. First, melt butter in a pot and add milk, then add sourdough, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice and mix. Make sure butter is not too hot but melted.
- Create a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add wet mixture slowly.
- Incorporate all ingredients using a wooden spatula or mix by hands. If it’s too sticky add a little flour slowly. Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer to mix the dough for about 10 minutes.
- Oil a small bowl and put the dough, covered with a towel or clean wrap, and let it proof for an hour or more until it has doubled. It may be longer depending on the weather.
- Once it has doubled in size, punch the dough to deflate and knead again for about 5-8 minutes.
- Create a rectangular shape and add in dried fruits or raisins and roll the dough to enclose the fillings.
- Divide them into 10-12 equal parts and place them into your prepared baking tray with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Let it rest for another 30 minutes and cover with a towel or clean wrap.
- While waiting for the second rise, preheat the oven to 200°C or 400°F and create the cross mixture (see above info for mixture).
- Also, create the buttercream frosting to be added after the baking process.
- Just before baking, if using flour cross mixture using a piping bag slowly pipe the flour mixture on top of the dough creating a cross sign then bake for about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven after baking and let it cool.
- Brush with a mix of maple syrup and milk to give a shine before adding the buttercream frosting.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Cross Mixture with flour
- Mix 3 tbsp of bread flour or all-purpose flour and 2 tbsp water.
- Mix together until it becomes thicker, add a little more water to achieve consistency.
- After the second rise place mixture in a piping bag and create a cross in the dough before baking.
Cross mixture with buttercream frosting
- Sift 3 cups of icing sugar in a bowl. Then add ¼ cup of vegan butter, 1-2 tbsp unsweetened dairy-free milk, and ¼ cup vegan shortening (optional).
- Mix all together for about 10 minutes or until desired consistency is achieved.
- Place in a piping bag and put only after baking and the buns have already cooled.
- Mix 1 tbsp of unsweetened dairy-free milk and 1 tbsp of maple syrup and brush on top of the buns to give a shiny finish.
