Happily Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns

For anyone who, like me, loves the fragrance of warm, sweet spices in the kitchen, this recipe really hits the spot.

I love my buns either still warm, or toasted and buttered.  Dragan likes his with vegan cream cheese and honey. Either way, the caramel tones of the tiger nut flour combine with the toffee taste of the coconut palm sugar to create a rich depth of flavour for the spices to really dance in.  I bet you bake more than one batch.

INGREDIENTS

Ferment:
140g sorghum flour
24g coconut palm sugar
6g instant yeast
280g plant milk
 
Fruit:
180g sultanas
80g raisins
40g warm sherry or fruit juice to soak
 
Dough:
Ferment from above
200g tigernut flour
110g white rice flour
1 ½ tsp ground nutmeg
1/2tsp each ground clove and sweet cinnamon
25g coconut palm sugar
6g salt
24g psyllium husk
50g melted butter or vegan block
1 egg or 50g aquafaba
 
Crossing mix
50g sorghum flour
50g cornflour
50g butter/vegan block
1 Tbsp water
Beaten egg or maple syrup & plant milk to glaze.
 
METHOD

1.     Set the fruit to soak in warm sherry or juice.
2.     Warm the milk and combine with the sorghum flour, sugar and yeast to make the ferment.  Allow to rise for 30 minutes.
3.     Combine all the dough ingredients in a medium bowl, adding the ferment, the whole egg and the melted butter last.  Mix well before folding in the fruit mixture.
4.     Leave to ferment for one hour in a warm place. 
 
While the dough is rising, make the crossing mix by rubbing the fat into the flours and bringing together to make a pastry dough. Roll out on a floured board and cut into thin strips.
 
1.     After one hour, divide the dough into 13 x 90g portions (a baker’s dozen).   
2.     Form into buns and place on a parchment lined baking tray.
3.     Brush with beaten egg, or a combo of maple syrup and plant milk.
4.     Leave to prove in a warm place for at least half an hour.
5.     Brush again with egg / milk mixture.
6.     Carefully lift pastry strips onto buns to form crosses.
7.     Bake at 180c for 20 minutes, turning to ensure even browning.