Vegan Breadmaker Hot Cross buns

There are some things I have learned to do without while following a plant based diet. Hot cross buns are not one of them! Growing up in New Zealand you could buy them at the store or your Grandma made them. Most people ate them on Good Friday, I ate them all through Easter (and I still do).

I had been using a bread maker to make them since we got to the US but the usual recipe uses eggs, butter and milk. A search of Internet, found several vegan versions that didn't seem to fit with any thing I had learned (the hard way) about 'bread science'. After some experimenting this is the recipe that worked for me...everyone loves them and they are no different to the regular recipe

3 1/2 bread flour (I used King Arthur Unbleached white bread flour)
1 Tbs flax seeds
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp cinnamon
2-4 Tbs Sugar (depending on the sweetness preferred)
2 Tbs Vegan Margarine (I used smart balance light)
1/2 c raisins
7g packet active yeast (I used Hodgson mills)
1/3 c Almond milk, warm
1/3 c water, warm
1/4 c warm water and 1/4tsp of sugar for proofing yeast

I used the bread maker on the dough setting and added the ingredients
except the raisins) in the order my Bread man model suggests. This was liquids, sugar, margarine, spices and then flour. The yeast I proofed in  1/4c warm water and 1/4 tsp sugar before pouring over the flour. The raisins were added at the pause after the first mixing. After the dough was finished in the bread maker turn it out onto a floured board and divide into 12 small roll shapes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to double in size. Add crosses and bake for 15-20 minutes.

To make the crosses mix 1 cup flour with 1/4c of water to make a heavy dough. With floured hands roll the dough into long 'worm shapes' and lay across buns.

To make them extra special you can glaze them: to make the glaze mix 1/4c confectioners sugar and 2 Tbs water, brush on the glaze onto the baked buns while they are hot out of the oven and let them cool.