Hot cross buns are a must for Easter! And baked goods always taste better when you make them with friends and family.

Here is a recipe by Justine Pattison, slightly altered by us so you can enjoy these buns vegan, as well as zero waste!

Ingredients

• 65g dairy-free margarine
• 50g caster sugar from White Sugar / 白砂糖
• 250ml unsweetened plant-based milk
• 7g dried yeast
• 400g Strong Wheat Bread Flour (Organic) / 有機高筋麵粉, plus extra for dusting
• ½ tsp fine Sea Salt - Fine / 海鹽
• 2 tsp ground mixed spice (Cinnamon Cassia - Powder (Raw) / 肉桂粉, Nutmeg / 肉豆蔻, Ginger Powder (Organic) / 有機薑粉, & Cloves  / 丁香)
• 150g dried mixed fruit
• Vegetable oil, for greasing

To decorate

• 25g Strong Wheat Bread Flour (Organic) / 有機高筋麵粉
• 1½ tsp maple syrup from Maple Sugar (Organic) /  有機楓糖

To Prepare

• (ground) cinnamon + nutmeg +ginger + cloves = mixed spice
• make sure plant-based milk is lukewarm
• grind White Sugar / 白砂糖 to make caster sugar
• Maple Syrup

1. Mix 1:2 water to sugar in a pot over medium heat. Let it melt slowly and stir constantly.
2. Heat up for a few minutes, or until the mixture is brown. Make sure not to overcook the syrup.
3. Let cool and use straight away, or pour in an airtight container to be refrigerated. 

Method

1. Heat the dairy-free margarine in a saucepan on low heat until melted, keep stirring.
   Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and lukewarm plant-based milk. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk, stir and leave to stand for 2 minutes.
   
   
2. Mix together the flour, salt and mixed spice in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre for the warm milk. Stir in milk until the mixture forms a soft ball.
   
   
3. Lightly flour a surface and knead mixture for 5 minutes to make a smooth, pliable dough. Knead the mixed fruit into the dough, a little at a time, for 2–3 minutes, or until evenly distributed. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cloth, or reusable wrap. Leave to rise in a warm place for 1½ hours, or until doubled in size and spongy to touch.
   
   
4. Knead dough lightly on a floured surface, then divide into 12 portions. Roll each portion into a ball, then pull the dough from around the sides to underneath each bun to give a neat shape.
   
   
5. Place the buns around ½in apart on a lined baking tray. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Cover lightly and leave to prove for 45–60 minutes, or until well risen. (The buns should be just touching each other.) Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
   
   
6. To make the cross decoration, mix the flour with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a smooth paste. Add a few more drops of water if it’s too thick, but don’t allow it to get too thin or the crosses won’t show up when the buns are baked. Pipe lines of the flour paste on top of each row of the buns in one direction and then the other.
   
   
7. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven, or until risen and golden brown. Brush the warm buns with maple syrup and leave to cool a little before eating. Once cold, they can also be toasted under a grill.