Strive your hand at this egg and dairy-free bun. Mushy and fluffy, it tastes pretty much as good as a standard candy brioche and is nice for breakfast or brunch.

Substances

• 400 g robust white bread flour
• 2 tsp simple mix dried yeast
• 65 g caster sugar
• 250 ml almond milk; plus additional for brushing
• 1 tsp salt
• 65 g vegan baking block; cubed and softened
• 1 tbsp sugar nibs

Technique

Step 1.
Mix the flour, yeast and sugar within the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the almond milk and blend on low velocity till you’ve got a shaggy dough, then cowl and go away to relaxation for quarter-hour.

Step 2.
Sprinkle the salt over the floor of the dough and add the cubes of vegan baking block. Combine on medium-low velocity for 10 minutes or till the dough is clean, shiny and elastic. Should you don’t have a mixer, you may knead the dough by hand on the work floor.

Step 3.
Cowl the dough and go away to ferment and rise for two hours at room temperature or in a single day within the fridge.

Step 4.
To create the 5-strand plait, divide the dough into 5 even items and roll every one into a protracted rope. Every strand must be the identical size and diameter. Be part of all of the strands collectively on the high, then fan them out beneath.

Utilizing simply the furthest three strands on the right-hand facet, plait as you’d for a standard 3-strand plait, crossing the furthest proper (exterior) strand to the center, then the furthest left (of this set of three) to the center.

Now use the three strands on the left to do the identical factor (incorporating the closest strand that was used within the first set). Cross the furthest left (exterior) strand to the center, adopted by the furthest proper (of this set of three) to the center. Proceed to alternate proper and left on this approach till all the dough has been used, then squeeze the ends collectively to seal.

Step 5.
Switch the plait to a greased, lined baking tray and go away to show for 1 hour or till it has doubled in dimension, however the braiding continues to be distinct.

Step 6.
In the direction of the top of the proving time, preheat the oven to 180°C (160° fan).

Step 7.
Brush the dough with almond milk and sprinkle with sugar nibs. Bake for 35 minutes or till the loaf sounds hole once you faucet it beneath. The temperature ought to attain 90°C on a probe thermometer.

Step 8.
Switch to a wire rack and go away to chill utterly earlier than slicing.

Serves 12 or 1 loaf