Hot Cross Buns (v)

 

Easter is just around the corner and what better reason do you need to stuff your face with hot cross buns?

Delicious and warm from the oven, stuffed with spices and fruits and coated in a sticky glaze... ohhh yeahhh! 

But what about those of us who want to skimp on the eggs, milk and butter? Are we not worthy of these festive fancies? Must we be deprived of their toasty awesomeness?

They may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom!

Or something like that... 

  

I came across this recipe from veganlifemag.com for a vegan version of Hot Cross Buns and I am ever so glad I did. 

These buns are light and fluffy and choc full of those familiar flavours you know and love!  I mixed things up a little in terms of the glaze and cross mixture but stuck to the original bread recipe because why improve on perfection?

Best of all, they are also animal free!

Enjoy my vegan friends and keep an eye out for any rabbits who come creeping across your lawn... they are probably after your leftover buns!

Hot Cross Buns (Vegan!)

350g strong bread flour
1 ½ tsp ground mixed spice
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 sachet (2 tsp) easy–blend yeast
25g caster sugar
100g currants
50g mixed peel
75g vegan margarine, melted
175ml non-dairy milk, warmed, plus a little extra to glaze

 For the Crosses
 1/4 cup plain flour
1/3 cup water 

To Glaze
 Jam of your choice (I used my Nana's homemade fig jam but apricot works well too!) 



Mix the yeast and sugar together in a small bowl and then gradually add the warm soy/nut milk. Leave for approximately 5 minutes.

Sift the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture into the well and stir until combined. Then add the currants, mixed peel and margarine and mix together well until a dough forms.

Take the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for approximately 10 minutes.
Place the dough back into the large bowl and cover with a tea towel or some cling film. Place this in a warm place for approximately 2 – 2½ hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

Take the dough back out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead again for approximately 5 minutes.

Split the dough into 12 equal pieces in the required shape, place onto a baking sheet and cover with a tea towel or cling film again. Put in a warm place for approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

To make the crosses, whisk together the flour and water until you have a smooth paste. Pour into a piping bag and pipe crosses on top of each bun 

Once the buns have risen, heat the oven to 180°C and lightly brush the surface of each bun with some extra soy/nut milk (try and go around the crosses so as not to smear them). Bake for 20 minutes.

Brush the buns with your jam while they are still warm and serve.