The journey of the Hot Cross Buns starts at 4:00. No coffee just yet, because first everything has to get rolling.
Simone and Dom get into the act adding spices. Traditional hot cross buns call for a ground mix of cloves, coriander, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and yes, cinnamon. The sultanas go in next, into the commercial spiral dough mixer.
Each bun has to be individually “scored”. A hot cross bun has pastry cream at the top (yes, that’s the cross on the bun). The key to getting the pastry cream on these is to score the buns before they are put into the oven. The dough opens up and gives you a ‘trench’ to pipe the pastry cream into.
More scoring.
Time to get the buns to the proofer.
In a bakery, a proofer (also known as a proofing cabinet or a dough proofer) is a piece of equipment that helps with the fermentation and rising of bread and other baked goods. The proofer provides a warm, humid environment that is ideal for yeast to grow and for dough to rise. A proofer is essential for ensuring the dough rises consistently. It also helps develop flavour and texture of the final product, by allowing the yeast to ferment the dough slowly and thoroughly.
Louie joins the crew. It’s almost 5:30 am.
“Two minutes? Hmm, maybe three minutes”.
The pastry cream (that makes the cross) is usually made from a mixture of flour, butter, and water. Howecver, at Ima Cuisine the pastry cream is made with vanilla bean, milk, eggs, butter, cornflour and sugar. Making the cream is a process all by itself. It has to be made on the previous day. The milk has to be heated with split vanilla bean. It’s cooked so that the cream thickens, but has to be done slowly, so that the cream doesn’t burn.
It’s what makes the buns really tasty—apart from all the other stuff that is added to the dough, like honey.
Hot cross buns go into the big, conventional oven. The rest go into the “fancy” oven. It controls the heat, the convection and humidity with its amazing little computer. And it honks like a car when it’s done. Yes, honk, honk, honk.
In addition to the traditional cross, some modern versions of hot cross buns may have additional toppings, such as a glaze made from sugar and milk, or a sprinkling of pearl sugar, which is a type of coarse, white sugar that adds a crunchy texture to the bun. These hot cross buns just had a sugar glaze making them both sweet and shiny. Note: Cameras need to be kept a good distance away. And note the plastic in front.
Dom gives the buns a good look over, as they sit on the trolley. Trolleys play an important role in maintaining the quality of the baked goods. By providing proper ventilation and air circulation, trolleys can help to prevent moisture buildup, but also allows the baked product to cool down.
The trolley is wheeled into the main seating area of the restaurant where the hot cross buns take up space on the tables.
Many, if not most clients see the hot cross buns as they enter and are keen to have some. However, a good number of clients also take some home or to the office. Zaya makes sure they get what they want.
People always ask for the “middle ones”, says Zaya. In some cultures and traditions, there is a belief or superstition that the middle hot cross bun in a batch is the luckiest or best one, and that it should be saved for a special person or occasion. This may lead some people to show a preference for the middle buns when choosing hot cross buns.
Renee and George, tucking into a hot cross bun feast.
Instagrammable?
George and Zaya, before the office crowd streams in.
Yael, the powerhouse behind Ima Cuisine. She’s in the kitchen, behind the till and on the main floor of the restaurant as well!