How to make gluten-free Hot Cross Buns for Easter

Just because you have Coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, doesn’t mean you should miss out on an Easter classic, Hot Cross Buns! We’ve found a delicious-looking gluten-free recipe from the ‘Gluten Free Alchemist’ for you to try at home!

Hot Cross Buns are synonymous with the start of the Easter celebrations and nothing is quite the same without them. Hot Cross Buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, but with all the chocolate eggs too, it can be hard to stick to a diet. Not only are these Hot Cross Buns gluten-free, but they’re also packed with juicy fruits and sweetened with honey rather than sugar.

Apple, Cherry & Sultana Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients:

• 320g plain gluten-free flour
• 100g tapioca flour
• 160g gluten-free oat flour
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• ½ teaspoon modified tapioca starch
• 3½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 270 ml hand-warm milk
• 20g easy bake yeast
• 240g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp honey
• 180g honey
• 3 large eggs
• finely grated zest 1 orange
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 60g sultanas
• 100g dried apple, diced
• 60g glace cherries

For the cross:

• 50g plain GF flour mix
• 70 ml of cold water

For the glaze:

• 1½ tablespoons light soft brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons water

Method

1. Grease and line a couple of baking trays then mix all the flours, xanthan gum, modified tapioca starch, spices and salt, until lump-free. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, yeast and 1 teaspoon honey and leave for 10 minutes to activate the yeast, it should go frothy.

3. In a separate heat-proof bowl, melt the butter with the honey in the microwave on short 30 second bursts, stirring in-between until combined.

4. Allow the butter mixture to cool slightly before whisking in the eggs one at a time.

5. Pour this mixture onto the yeast mixture and whisk together then stir in the zest, orange extract and dried fruit.

6. Add the flour mix and gently fold until you have a sticky, even dough.

7. Rub a little olive oil onto your hands and roll small pieces of dough into balls (about 6 cm/2½ inches in diameter). Place on the baking sheet.

8. Use a lightly greased knife to gently score a cross in the top of each bun.

9. Cover lightly with a piece of cling film and place your baking trays in a warm place so the dough can rise for about 50 to 60 minutes.

10. Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 200 C/400 F/Gas 6.

11. Once your dough has risen, make a paste for the crosses by mixing the flour and water together.

12. Pipe a cross onto the top of each bun along the scoreline.

13. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.

14. Meanwhile, make the glaze heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan or in a bowl in the microwave until dissolved then blend.

15. Remove the buns from the oven and brush over the tops with a good coating of the glaze before placing on a wire rack to cool.

Source: www.glutenfreealchemist.com/hot-cross-buns-apple-cherry-sultana/