With April including big religious celebrations such as Easter, Ramadaan and Pesach (also known as Passover), the MyKitchen team showcases the different iconic breads from each culture/religion.

Hot cross buns 

Makes 12 • Total Time 1 Hr [Plus Rising] 

Ingredients

FOR THE BUNS  

3 tsp yeast 
¼ cup caster sugar
2 cups warm milk 
4 cups flour, plus an extra cup 
3 tsp cinnamon 
2 tsp mixed spice 
1 tsp salt 
1½ cups sultanas
3 tbsp mixed citrus peel 
4 tbsp butter, melted and cooled 
1 egg, at room temperature  

FOR THE CROSSES  

½ cup flour
5 tbsp water  

FOR THE GLAZE  

3 tbsp apricot jam, melted  

Method

1. Place yeast, sugar and milk in a bowl and set aside. 
2. Sift in flour, spices and salt and add fruit, butter and egg. 
3. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients and knead until a sticky dough forms. 
4. Turn dough out onto a generously floured working surface. Knead dough and add more flour, until mixture is smooth and elastic, for 5 minutes. 
5. Place dough into a well-oiled bowl, cover and set in a warm place to double in size, about 45 minutes. 
6. Knock down dough and roll out into a thick log. Cut into 12 equal portions. 
7. Grease and line a rectangular baking tray. 
8. Shape portions into smooth, round balls. Place on tray. 
9. Set in a warm place to rise for 30-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
10. For the crosses, mix flour and water to form a thick but pipeable paste. Place in a Ziploc bag and snip off a tiny section off one corner. 
11. Pipe neat crosses over buns. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden. 
12. 1 Brush jam over buns. 
13. Serve buns warm with your choice of topping. 

Matzah 

Makes 15 • Total Time 30 Min 

Ingredients

2 cups flour, sifted, plus more for rolling 
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling 
1 tbsp olive oil 
¾ to 1 cup water  

Method

1. Preheat oven to its highest heat, 230°C or 250°C. 
2. Place flour, salt and olive oil into a bowl. 
3. Slowly add water, mixing with your hands to incorporate. Knead dough into a smooth ball, adding more flour if mixture is too wet. 
4. Roll dough into a long log and divide into 10 portions. 
5. Flour your work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll a portion of dough as thinly as you can. 
6. Repeat with remaining portions and place on greased baking trays. 
7. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until crisp and golden. 
8. Remove and sprinkle with kosher salt. 

Foodie Fact 
Traditional matzah is made without raising agents. Why? Only unleavened food is made and eaten during Passover. 

Flaky rotis 

Makes 12-15 • Total Time 45 Min [Plus Resting] 

Ingredients

1kg flour 
2 tsp salt 
2 cups water 
125g soft butter
Oil, for frying  

Method

1. Mix flour, salt and water together, using your hands to knead into a soft dough. 
2. Place dough in a bowl, cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes. 
3. Roll dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 16 equal portions. 
4. Roll each one out as thinly as you can. 
5. Using your fingers, smear 2 tablespoons butter over each portion. 
6. Roll length of dough into a log. Rest for 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough portions. 
7. Roll each end of the log inwards to form two spirals. They should meet in the middle to form an S-shape. Stack the spirals to form a ball, but don’t squash. Repeat with remaining dough portions and refrigerate for another 10 minutes. 
8. Roll each roti out into a thin circle. 
9. Add oil to a large frying pan and fry rotis, one at a time, until golden and crispy. 

Chef’s Tip: Once you’ve formed your roti balls, you can freeze until needed. Thaw completely before rolling out. 

Easter bread 

Serves 12 • Total Time 1 Hr 15 Min [Plus Rising] 

Ingredients

1½ cups milk, warmed
2½ tsp yeast
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp salt
4 cups flour
1/3 butter, melted and cooled 
2 large eggs, beaten 
1 egg, beaten
5 eggs, dyed, raw or hard boiled
100s and 1000s, for sprinkling   

Method 

1. Place milk, yeast and sugar into a bowl and set aside. 
2. Sieve salt and flour into a large bowl. 
3. Add milk mixture, butter and two eggs to flour. Knead into a soft dough, adding more flour if needed until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. 
4. Rest dough for 15 minutes. 
5. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a long strip. Braid strips together and pinch ends together to form a wreath. Place on a greased baking tray and allow to rise for 45 minutes. 6. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
6. Make five indents and place dyed eggs into each. 
7. Brush bread with egg, add sprinkles and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden. 

Chef’s Tip 
The eggs should be soft-boiled by the end of the baking time and can serve as dipping pots for your bread. To learn how to dye eggs, turn to page 10. 

Photography: Zhann Solomons  

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