Hot Cross Bun Loaf (vegan)
Hot cross bun loaf - this loaf version of the classic British Easter bread is super soft, fluffy and delicious.
Servings 1 loaf
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 25 g (3 Tablespoons) white bread flour
- 140 g unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy)
Dough
- 160 g (⅔ cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy) cold
- 60 g (4 ½ Tablespoons) caster or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 350 g (scant 3 cups) white bread flour
- 7 g (2 ¼ teaspoons) instant/fast action yeast
- 40 g (3 Tablespoons) vegan butter softened
Mix-Ins
- 2 teaspoons mixed spice
- finely grated zest of 1 large orange
- 200 g mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants and candied peel)
Crosses
- 2 Tablespoons plain flour
- about 2 Tablespoons milk
- 2 Tablespoons clear apricot jam or maple syrup to glaze
Instructions
- To make the tangzhong, place the flour in a saucepan and gradually whisk in the milk to avoid lumps. Place the pan over a medium/low heat and whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened to a paste/pudding-like consistency.25 g (3 Tablespoons) white bread flour, 140 g unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy)
- Scrape the tangzhong into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and pour the cold milk on top. This will cool the tangzhong down so that the heat doesn’t kill the yeast.160 g (⅔ cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy)
- Add the sugar, salt and flour and finally the yeast. Stir until it forms a rough dough then set the stand mixer to a medium speed and mix until the dough is smooth and stretchy, this can take about 10 minutes.60 g (4 ½ Tablespoons) caster or granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 350 g (scant 3 cups) white bread flour, 7 g (2 ¼ teaspoons) instant/fast action yeast
- Add the vegan butter and knead for about another 5 minutes until it is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth, elastic and no longer feels greasy. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times.40 g (3 Tablespoons) vegan butter
- The dough should still be soft and sticky, but it should pull away from the sides of the bowl cleanly. If it seems too wet then you can knead in a little extra flour, a tablespoon at a time. Be careful though, this is meant to be a soft dough and adding too much extra flour will make the bread dry. It should pass the windowpane test - stretch the dough with your hands, you should be able to stretch it to a very thin, almost transparent membrane without it tearing. This can take up to 20 minutes of kneading, especially by hand.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm, leave to rise for 1-2 hours until well doubled in size. Alternatively, place it in the fridge to rise overnight. If you refrigerate it, the following day let it come up to room temperature for about half an hour before continuing.
- Line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and fold it in on itself a couple of times to knock out the air.
- On a lightly floured surface, pat the dough out into a rough rectangle. Scatter over the mixed spice, orange zest and mixed dried fruit. Roll the dough up tightly to enclose the mix-ins then knead it for a couple of minutes until they are well distributed. It will be quite sticky so use a bench scraper to help you mix it; alternatively you can mix it in a stand mixer.2 teaspoons mixed spice, finely grated zest of 1 large orange, 200 g mixed dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, currants and candied peel)
- Divide the dough into six equal pieces (use a scale) and roll each one into a ball.
- On a floured surface, roll each ball out into a rough oval shape, fold one third of the oval over the middle (from the long side, not the top), then the other third over the top to form a long, narrow packet. Roll over the seam to flatten it, then roll it up from one end to make a fat sausage. Repeat with the other balls of dough.
- Arrange the shaped balls of dough in the loaf tin in two rows of three, seam side down. Pick off any raisins that are on the surface as they will burn in the oven.
- Loosely cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm spot until at least doubled in size, this can take 1-2 ½ hours. If you press the dough gently with a finger the indentation should spring back slowly but remain visible. If it springs back quickly it needs to prove for a little longer. Preheat the oven while the dough is rising to 180°C/160℃ fan/350°F/gas mark 4.
- To make the crosses, place the flour in a small bowl and gradually stir in the milk until you have a thick but pourable paste. Transfer the paste to a small disposable piping bag and snip off the tip, pipe a cross on the top of each bun.2 Tablespoons plain flour, about 2 Tablespoons milk
- Bake the loaf on the lower middle shelf of the oven for 40-50 minutes until well risen and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, the internal temperature should reach at least 90°C/194°F on a probe thermometer. Cover the bread with foil partway through baking if needed to stop it from becoming too dark.
- Gently heat the apricot jam until runny, transfer the cooked loaf to a wire rack and brush generously all over with the jam or maple syrup. Leave to cool completely before slicing.2 Tablespoons clear apricot jam or maple syrup to glaze