Dew Bangsar is offering sourdough and chocolate hot cross buns this year (Photo: Dew Bangsar)
The exuberance of spring is marked by a palpable sense of anticipation, especially if one observes the traditional 40-day fast well before Easter. Entertaining may be off the menu this festive season but you can still make up for it with a special meal in isolation. Trade your traditional Easter dessert for unconventional hot cross buns or pick from any of the brunch spreads below that will certainly deliver (literally). Let’s get cracking…
BUN VOYAGE
Baking is all about science but a pinch of patience may just elevate the flavours of your goods. English food writer and TV cook Nigella Lawson wasn’t wrong when she bestowed us with this kitchen wisdom about her hot cross bun recipe: “Sit around while they rise, and have faith they will.” But if perfectly-styled shots of the quintessential Easter staple on Instagram is making you despair (and hungry), give your oven a rest and purchase from these outlets that dole out unusual rolls that are worth your dough.
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Twenty-Two Bakery is reintroducing hot cross buns in a celebratory riot of fruit and spice. A golden dough heavy with all-spice, black currant and candied orange peel makes this seasonal bake as festive as it should. Chocolate fiends will relish their cocoa-laden version, teemed with nutmeg, 80% dark chocolate and candied orange peel. For the very first time, the bakery is also launching a limited batch of mini Colomba, a traditional Italian Easter bread similar to Panettone but baked in a dove-shaped case.
Dew Bangsar takes the opportunity to educate our palates about what proper fruit tastes like during times of harvest. Its sourdough hot cross buns are studded with plump vine fruits, flavoured with a blend of warm spices and glazed with a sticky, spiced syrup. There’s a naughtier chocolate version too that’s suffused with decadent chocolate chunks and cocoa powder.
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Cocoraw’s iteration isn’t weighed down with extras or fiddly details. Speckled with melted chocolate, the buns are a real treat especially when you fancy a moment of indulgence on the sofa over a hot cuppa.
Twenty-Two Bakery, traditional hot cross bun, RM8 each; chocolate, RM9 each. Order here.
Dew Bangsar, sourdough hot cross bun, RM7.50 each; chocolate, RM8 each. Also available at Jaslyn Cakes. Order here.
Cocoraw, chocolate hot cross buns, box of four for RM20. Pre-order here.
NOT SO HIDDEN EASTER EGG
St Regis Kuala Lumpur’s Eastertide offerings this year are as pretty as a picture — no, literally. Inspired by the art installations located in the hotel’s grand lobby, executive pastry chef Gael Moutet created two limited edition chocolate Easter eggs decorated with vibrant flowers and geometric shapes.
The first, named “Blossom”, is an ode to British artist Marc Quinn’s Winter Garden — a photographic series of flowers from a wide rage of species found in different continents. “Blossom” is crafted with 40% Valrhona milk chocolate with delicate blooms on its surface. Spanish artist Joan Miró’s childlike shapes and symbols in Les Montagnards inspired the colourful hand-cut shapes in the second, “Daydream”, made with 72% Valrhona dark chocolate.
After you’ve taken your photos, break it apart with the mallet given and discover an array of mini chocolate ganache eggs inside.
St Regis Kuala Lumpur, 6, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, KL. RM168+ per piece. Available from Mar 29-Apr 4. For reservations, call 03 2727 6696 or email [email protected].
BRUNCH OUT
Curate at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur will prepare a hearty brunch buffet that celebrates different cuisines from the world over for Easter. Aside from cold cuts and fresh seafood, the restaurant will also have Asian, Indian and Western sections and a lavish dessert table. All the food is placed behind a clear screen to minimise contact, so just point out what you desire and the stationed servers will handle the rest. Juniors will be thrilled to know that there will be an Easter Egg hunt during the brunch, so keep your eyes peeled for the signal.
Four Season Hotel Kuala Lumpur, 145, Jalan Ampang, KL. Apr 4, noon-3pm. RM248 nett for adults, RM124 nett for children. To reserve, call 03 2382 8630.
It’s a two-day celebration over at W Kuala Lumpur. The hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, Flock, will host two brunches: a family-friendly version on Saturday and a champagne edition for the adults on Sunday. Expect an extravagant spread, including roasted carvings, seafood, and delectable Easter sweets. And if you’re bold enough, turn up in a bonnet à la Little House on the Prairie and walk away with 10% off your bill.
Flock, W Kuala Lumpur, 121, Jalan Ampang, KL. Easter Family Edition, Apr 3, noon-3pm. RM288 nett per adult, RM114 nett per child, RM348 nett per adult with alcohol. Easter Champagne Edition, Apr 4, noon-3pm. RM288 nett per adult, RM144 nett per child, RM468 nett per adult with alcohol. Call 012 347 9088 to reserve.
If you’re still not comfortable leaving your safe nest, order in Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s Easter buffet and have an at-home celebration. The spread, which serves up to four, comes with three different appetisers and desserts. For the mains, choose between the Garlic and Thyme Roasted Whole Chicken, Roasted Australian Grain-fed Sirloin, Slow-cooked Australian Lamb Leg and Beef Wellington, all served with a side of honey glazed carrots, cauliflower cheese, roasted broccoli and mashed potatoes.
Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur, 11, Jalan Sultan Ismail, KL. Easter Buffet, from RM230. Pre-order until Apr 2. Delivery and self-pick up on Apr 3 and 4. Pre-order here.
