Simnel Vegan Hot Cross Buns
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Beautifully soft buns with studs of melted marzipan and tart sour cherries finished with a sticky apricot glaze. A grown-up version of a traditional Easter treat
Author:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
Dough
  • ¼ cup soy milk
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup aquafaba
  • ¼ cup (60 g) vegan butter
  • 2 cardamom pods, crushed
  • 2 cloves
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2½ cups strong white bread flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup raisins, sultanas, currant, cherries, mixed peel*
  • ¼ cup golden marzipan, well chilled and grated**
Crosses
  • ¼ cup plain flour
  • ¼ cup water
Glaze
  • 1 tablespoon apricot jam
  • 1 tablespoon water, or amaretto
  • ¼ cup toasted flaked almonds
Instructions
  1. Combine the milk, water, aquafaba, vegan butter, cardamom pods and zest in a small saucepan and gently heat until the butter has melted. Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Set this aside and let it cool until the mixture is lukewarm (37C), and you can dip your finger in it and it feels neither hot or cold. Remove the cardamom pods and cloves.
  2. Pour the yeast into the lukewarm liquid mixture and stir. Leave it until it is bubbly and frothy, about 5 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, mix together the spices, flour, and salt. Make a well in the centre and pour in the liquid+yeast mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together in a shaggy dough. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured counter and knead for 7-10 minutes until it forms a smooth and elastic ball. use your fingers or a rolling pin to flatten out the dough into a square
  4. Drain the raisins well, if you are soaking them in orange juice, and sprinkle this, as well as the chilled and grated marzipan, over the dough square. Roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll, then knead a minute or so to incorporate the fruit and marzipan into the dough. Place the dough into a well-oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel. Leave this in a warm place until double in size, about 1 hour.
  5. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it back with your fist to release some of the air, and then gently knead the dough into a ball.
  6. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.Roll each portion of dough into a ball and place them on a tray lined with baking paper. Cover the balls of dough with the tea towel and return the tray to a warm place to prove for 30 minutes or until the balls of dough have slightly risen.
  7. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170°C. To make the crosses, mix together the flour and water until you have a thick paste. Pour the paste into a small piping bag, or a small plastic bag and snip off the corner. Pipe a cross onto each bun.
  8. Bake the buns for 25-30 minutes, or until they are golden. Meanwhile, make the glaze by heating the jam and water (or amaretto) together in a small saucepan until it is more liquid and easy to brush onto the buns
  9. Brush the glaze over the buns as soon as you take them out of the oven, and sprinkle with the flaked almonds. Serve the hot cross buns with a generous spread of butter. Any leftover buns can be stored in the fridge, or freezer and toasted before serving.
Notes
* I like to soak my dried fruits (especially the sultanas and raisins) in orange juice for about an hour before using them in the dough. This is optional but makes your fruit very plump and juicy! Just drain the well before kneading it into the dough

** The marzipan has to be very cold so it doesn't smear together as you knead the dough. Alternatively, you can make 8 equal marzipan balls and place each ball in the centre of each dough ball, and bake the buns with the seam side down. I have done them both ways and both are absolutely delightful!
Recipe by The Sasha Diaries at https://thesashadiaries.com/2018/03/24/simnel-vegan-hot-cross-buns/