GAIL’S HOT CROSS BUNS
CHEF’S STEP BY STEP
We’ve been making our traditional hot cross buns for more than 12 years, but the thing that makes our buns special is that we bake them in smaller batches throughout the day, so during the lead-up to Easter our bakeries are filled with the sweetly spiced scent of freshly baked buns. We’re staunch believers in classic recipes: our only twist is to use the best ingredients we can find, packing our buns with dried fruit and finishing them with a spiced syrup for that signature sticky top. Enjoy them with plenty of butter, hot out of the oven – it’s the best way.
ROZ BADO, BAKER AND PASTRY CHEF, GAIL’S
PHOTOGRAPHS GARETH MORGANS
FOOD STYLING OLIVIA SPURRELL
STYLING MORAG FARQUHAR
THE GAIL’S STORY – AND A BIT ABOUT ROZ
It all began in London in the 1990s, when Gail Mejia brought together the best talent in town to bake for London restaurants. The first Gail’s bakery opened to the public in Hampstead in 2005. There are now 38 in London, Hove and Oxford. Bread is baked on-site with pastries, hot dishes, soups, sandwiches, salads and cakes. Gail’s believes baking plays a key role in communities. Each bakery works with charities to support local initiatives. Roz Bado joined the Gail’s family as a pastry chef five years ago and now works in the sourdough development team.