Hot cross buns – A date with Chef Sam
Posted in bread/ bun/ roll, Events, Featured Articles, fruits, Others, snacks, Vegetarian, Western
Yes, it was a date with Chef Sam, the young, handsome and talented food technologist baker. Rain or shine I must turn up, that’s what I told myself. It was an important and special date for me. 
On that faithful day, I went along to Orchard Central, with my bag in hand. No, it’s not a lady handbag with make-up stuff but my camera bag filled up with lenses and flash. Got the clue now? Sorry, no prize for the winner. Wakakakaa! 
The truth is……I wrote to Chef Sam to invite him to be my guest post. He got back to me with a better suggestion instead. He asked me to photo-shoot for him at Mayer’s showroom where he was scheduled to conduct a class on how to make hot cross buns and fresh fruit tarts. Thereafter, together with the photos taken at the class, I can feature his hot cross buns recipe on my food blog. His suggestion actually got me very excited indeed, but anxious at the same time as this is my first time shooting photos at a live baking demonstration. Thanks a lot to Chef Sam for giving me such a golden opportunity to shoot and blog his demo!
This is Chef Sam showcasing his two bake products at his baking class: fresh fruit tarts and hot cross buns
I must say that Chef Sam is truly a person who “bakes with loves and sincerity” as his slogan on his website. He is generous in sharing his baking knowledge and tips with his students. Unlike other chef, he teaches his students the science behind food. This makes his baking class unique and interesting. From his past three baking classes that I had attended, I learnt a lot of new baking ingredients and techniques.
Chef Sam explained some baking terminologies and methods to his students. Whew! What a heavy topic! I think I need more time to “digest” them.
After attending his baking classes, I started baking bread more often. In fact, I got hook on making bread now!! I managed to replicate his bread recipes at home, some of which I already featured like healthy multi-grain bread and Italian pesto bread. When I encountered problems and wrote to him for advices, he was kind enough to trouble-shoot my mistakes and gave me lots of useful pointers. With these great supports, I’m glad that I am able to produce decent looking and tasty bread for my family now. This really helps to boost my confidence to continue pursuing my interest in bread making.
Look at how skillful Chef Sam pipes his hot cross bun paste mixture across the buns.
Being well known for his technology based culinary skills, Chef Sam has been featured in the local media. You can see them in the list below:
- The New Paper
- The Straits Times
- MediaCorp’s Channel U (Money week)
- MediaCorp’s Channel U (Yum Yum Lunch Box) whereby he taught the kids on how to make choux pastries.
- Lian He Zao Bao (联和早报) –a Singapore Chinese newspaper
- Y factor magazine (a quarterly issued magazine by YMCA) since 2008
Colourful and mouthwatering fresh fruit tarts are calling my name!
Apart from conducting baking classes, Chef Sam also runs an online bakery called Sam’s Cakes and Bakes. It is a one-stop solution for cakes and baked products, baking and culinary education and consultancy services. I love his baking mission which promotes healthier cakes without compromising on taste. This included his customized cakes which cater to vegan and diabetic. If you are interested, you can browse through his e-catalogue through this link. For his baking and culinary course schedules from April to June 2010, check out the list here.
Hot cross buns fresh from the oven. Help yourself please!
The hot cross bun recipe contributed by Chef Sam is also a healthy version as it uses whole wheat flour and brown sugar. By using sponge dough method, the buns will definitely be very soft and moist. Its taste is absolutely flavourful with the addition of cinnamon powder and raisins. The sweetness is just right, perfect for those who are watching their calories intake. These buns are only great to be baked for this Easter celebration but also suitable to be a tea time snack for your little tots. Why not bake some healthy hot cross buns during this Easter break? Bon appetite!
I am submitting this post to Yeastspotting.
>>>>> Click on PAGE 2 BELOW for Hot Cross Buns recipes and detailed step-by-step photos………………….
Got distracted by these beautiful and colourful KitchenAid standing mixers during my photoshooting. Just can’t get my eyes off them.
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Wow, gorgeous-looking hot cross buns!! Wholemeal, too!!?? Couldn’t be better than that!
You know, that’s a real handsome chef, too! Hahaha …! Lucky you for having the opportunity to be his student!
Happy Easter Weekend to you & family!
Pei-Lin: Tks! Yeah, totally agreed with you. Happy Easter holiday to you and your family too! 😉
That is one handsome young chef. I like the hot cross buns as it is much healthier than the one I made 🙂 Happy Easter to you and your family.
Gertrude: True! true! Do give it try. Happy Easter to you and your family too! 😉
thanks for doing this super post!! love the photos and those buns look amazing! must give it a try soon 🙂
Lingzie: Tks for your super comments!! Looking forward to your feedback. 😉
Thank you for sharing this gorgeous and healthy hot cross bun. I would like to join Chef Sam classes one day.
Anncoo: Tks! Glad that you like it. I strongly recommend his class. Must join if you can find time! 😉
sweet! sweet! sweet!
the bake, the baker and the photo opportunity.
Kongkay: Yeah, super duper sweet! But another challenge in shooting live demo for me. LOL! 😉
The hot cross bun sure is a popular item for the coming Easter holiday. Great post!
CK Lam: Yes, it appears at every bakery shop. Tks. 😉
A young, shy and talented chef! Hot cross buns look so tempting!
Angie: Yes, you’re absolutely right. I’m also drooling looking at the photos now. 😉
what a great exchange! Thanks for bringing us such gorgeous photos and the yummy buns and tarts 🙂
Noobcook: Yeah, it is really a golden opportunity for me to share with everyone his excellent and healthy bake products. 😉
The hot cross buns look simply amazing and healthy for Easter! And your last shot caought me a bit. I’m procrastinating to get or not to get a pink KA!
Quinn: I don’t mind to have them all year round. Yes, you should get one. It’s really a great investment for me. I bought it during Tang sales. Never regret. 😉
lovely, awesome bread, a handsome chef, you so lucky! 🙂
BBO: Hey Bro, you’re also another handsome and charming chef. I will double my good luck if you can be my guest post too. 😉
Great photos. I liked the fresh fruit tart. It looks yummy. 🙂 Happy Easter!
Kathy: Tks! This is really a very colourful and yummy tart. Happy Easter to you and your family too!
Beautiful buns! Happy Easter day to you & family!
LCOM: Tks! Happy Easter to you and your family too! 😉
Finally, we can see this handsome, talented man behind the screen! 😀 Beautiful hot cross bun! I must try it! 🙂
Alice: A much-awaited post for you, right? Can’t wait to hear your feedback. 😉
wah so exciting to go to these kinda things!
next time ask me along, leh 😛
Felicia: Sure, sure! Will date you too. 😉
Does he sing the song “Hot cross bun, hot cross bun, one a penny, two a penny , hot cross bun” while he bakes or teaches baking these bun? Lucky you! Thanks for introducing him to me cos’ I am not a baker so not kept in touch with famous bakers around.
Tigerfish: What a nice suggestion! No time for him to sing because there are too many things to teach during the class. Hopefully you will learn baking one day. 😉
I believe this is a precious experience for you. 🙂
Did your hand shake when taking photo of the young handsome guy? Hehe…
Little Inbox: Oh yeah, you are right. No problem if my hands shake as I had switched on my image stabiliser during shooting. Hehehe! 😉
You are good advertisement for his class =)
Beautiful pictures! Yum… Am feeling hungry already….
If you don’t mind my asking, what camera do you use?
Clare: Thanks!! I’m flattered with your wonderful compliment. My camera model is Olympus E520. How about you? 😉
[…] Hot Cross Buns […]
lovely session with such a handsome chef! 😀
I can’t take my eyes off those buns. I love buns, bread, cookies..
Allie: Yes, they are really very pretty. I can’t wait to try it out at home. 😉
Yes! I will certainly help myself. 🙂
Dora: Oh great! 😉
Great blog – Chef Sam has beautiful hands, too.
Corajudd: Thanks for your kind comment. You have such a good observation skill. 😉
The hot cross buns looks yum!!
Lee Mei: Yes, I am going to try them out soon. 😉
May I know what brand of vegetable oil you are using?
May: I use olive oil 🙂