it's Easter all over again. i never really bake a lot during easter unlike the super hectic Christmas, but i have been knowing the Hot Cross Buns for quite a while and i knew that it is supposed to be the type of special occasion food (what exactly the word for that? ceremonial?). Hot Cross Buns meant to be baked during easter because of what else other than the 'cross', oh well also long ago it is made without yeast to complete the tradition of advent fasting. knowing all those reasons and the festivities of the buns itself, i decided to make one this year.
it is technically not the standard hot crossed buns, i had some special bao flour that was supposed to be used asap or else it will expire soon so i decided to use it for this hot cross 'bao'. i love making and eating bao, especially when it's still warm. i don't have any fancy filling to stuff the bao, so i used the already-so-fancy nutella spread and give some cocoa powder in the bao dough. i know i will never go wrong with nutella and chocolate.
the bao is then steamed and not baked like the way a hot crossed bun should be, because duh it is a bao. just before i steamed them, i made the flour paste used on the traditional hot crossed buns, and piped it onto the risen bao. i love how it turns out!
