BY SARA KIDD

After a recipe for vegan hot cross buns? With chocolate chips instead of fruit, these are sure to be an Easter favourite for years to come.

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Makes 12 -16 buns

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Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups soy milk, warmed
• 1 pkt yeast
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp applesauce
• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp Dutch cocoa powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup vegan butter, at room temperature
• 1 rounded cup vegan chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 Tbsp apricot jam, for glaze

Instructions:

• Put the warm soy milk in a medium-size bowl and sprinkle in the yeast, salt, and a pinch of the brown sugar. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes. Add the vanilla and applesauce and stir again.
• In a large bowl, sieve the bread flour, 2 cups of the all-purpose flour, the cocoa powder, and the cinnamon together. Mix in the vegan butter until well combined then stir in the remaining brown sugar and the vegan chocolate chips.
• Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the soy milk mixture. Mix together until a soft dough forms.
• Transfer to a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with flour if the dough is sticking.
• Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave in a warm place until the dough doubles in size, approximately 1 to 2 hours.
• Once risen, punch down a few times with your fist then knead for a few minutes.
• Divide into 12 to 16 equal portions and knead each one lightly. (A scale can be used to ensure they’re equal weights.)
• Place on a large greased or parchment-lined baking tray, just touching. Cover and let sit for another 30 to 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
• Mix together the water and the remaining all-purpose flour to form a paste, put into a small piping bag, and snip off the point. Pipe crosses onto the buns.
• Preheat the oven to 200ºC then bake the buns for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180ºC and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the buns sound hollow when tapped.
• Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool without separating.
• Warm the jam in the microwave until melted and brush over the buns.
• Serve with your favourite vegan butter, if desired.

Can’t be bothered baking? Here’s a list of where you can pick up ready-made vegan hot cross buns!

Sara Kidd has completed courses with some of the best mainstream cake designers, including Thao Pham, Stevi Auble, Katherine Sabbath, Kara Andretta, Zoe Byres, and the trainers at The Australian Patisserie Academy in Sydney. She worked in the film industry for 15 years and has launched her own retro-themed baking show on YouTube called Bake Vegan Stuff With Sara Kidd.