This egg and dairy free Hot Cross Brioche is light, spicy and full of fruit with that decadent buttery brioche texture. If your favourite local bakery is closed at the moment, try making this gourmet treat for yourself.
Hot Cross Brioche
Ingredients:
- 350g plain white flour
- 7g dried yeast
- 2 Tbsp mixed spice
- 15g caster sugar
- 1tsp sea salt
- 120g sultanas
- 60g mixed peel
- 80g aquafaba
- 100ml coconut milk
- 50ml oat milk
- 100g dairy-free butter
Crosses
- 30g flour
- 15g dairy-free butter
- water
Glaze
- 25g sugar
- 30ml oat milk
Method:
Put the flour, dried yeast, caster sugar, mixed spice and sea salt in a stand mixer bowl then add the sultanas and mixed peel.
Mix the aquafaba, oat milk and coconut milk in a jug.
Using a dough hook, start the mixer on a slow speed and pour the jug of liquid slowly down the inside of the bowl. Increase speed when the dough starts to come together leaving the sides clean.
Add the dairy-free butter to the mixing bowl and work the dough until it is incorporated. It will start forming a ball around the dough hook and will eventually leave the sides of the bowl clean again.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a clean tea towel, leave in a warm spot until it doubles in size.
Tip the dough onto a floured surface and portion into 8 balls, each should be 100 – 110g.
Place in a greased loaf tin, cover with the tea towel, set aside in a warm spot to double in size again.
Preheat the oven 180ºC or 160ºC fan forced.
To make the crosses
To make the crosses, rub dairy-free butter into the flour until it resembles fine crumbs. Add water a little at a time until you have a paste that will hold its form when piping.
Chef’s tip: If you don’t have a piping bag, use a plastic bag, just snip a small hole in one of the corners.
To make the glaze, gently heat oat milk and caster sugar.
When the brioche loaf has doubled in size, pipe crosses on the top and put into the oven to bake. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Gently tip out of the loaf tin and place it on a cake rack, brush the tops with the glaze.
Delicious served warm or lightly toasted the next day.
If you love a chocolate festive treat my Chocolate Hot Cross Buns might be for you or you may like to make a Panforte for Christmas.
These are seriously some of the best Hot Cross Buns I’ve ever Eaten. And dairy-free too! Very proud to be selling them at The Grocer in Martinborough.