It’s that time of year again, as soon as Valentines Day is over the aisles are filled up with the usual suspects; chocolate Easter eggs, those damn creme eggs or anything else Easter related, oh and not to mention the array of Hot Cross Buns on offer. I can only imagine how much will-power it takes to just keep on walking past the stacks of Easter goodies on offer this season. Is it just me or are they taking up more and more shelf space each year?
Now, although I’m not religious and don’t celebrate Easter for traditional reasons I at least like to partake in all that comes with the festivities of Easter... aka eating hot cross buns and Easter eggs. So with this in mind I set a task of creating a hot cross bun recipe that was as healthy as I could get if which of course means no egg, dairy, refined sugar and the only fat content present is a few tablespoons of coconut oil. However, the gluten part was a must as sometimes bread just kneads it ;)
I did however, use a type of wholegrain flour called khorosan. The KHORASAN grain is one of the oldest known to man and has a great number of advantages over normal wheat for many people with wheat intolerances. It is extremely gentle to the digestive system and many people who experience a variety of symptoms such as bloating, indigestion and rashes (often associated with wheat gluten) find that khorasan is the ideal alternative. In addition, Khorasan is great for those who suffer from fructose malabsorption. (aka Me)
Serves 8
What you’ll need:
1 cup warm almond, soy or any non-dairy milk (ensure the milk is not hot as it will kill the yeast)
1 tbsp coconut sugar
2 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp bakers yeast
1/2 cup coconut water
3 cups Khorasan wholegrain flour
3 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup sultanas
For the crosses
2 tbsp of your wholegrain flour
2 tbsp water
For the glaze
1 tbsp rice malt syrup
2 tbsp coconut water
What to do :
Whisk your warm milk with your yeast and coconut sugar for 1 minute and let it sit while it froths up
In a large bowl mix together your flour, mixed spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and sultanas
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in your coconut oil, yeast mixture and coconut water, mix well with a metal spoon until it forms a sticky dough
On a lightly floured surface knead the dough with your hands for about 8 minutes until the dough is no longer sticky and doesn't leave any dough on your hands as you knead.
Place your dough in a large metal bowl or greased regular bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and place in a warm spot for 1 hour to rise or until it has doubled in size. *Note the longer you leave the bread to rise the better. If it is cold in your house cover with cling wrap and pop in the oven on a really low heat of around 40c, keeping the door open
Once your dough has doubled in size it is ready for the next kneading step
Here’s a good chance to let out all your frustrations from your day. Give the dough a good bash to get the air out of it and knead it for a further few minutes on a non floured surface until your dough reaches an elastic consistency.
Cut your dough into 8 even pieces, to ensure they all bake at an even rate I weighed mine in at 100g each
Preheat oven to 190c fan bake
Spray oil in a loaf tin (approx. 22cm long x 13cm wide) and place the individual dough balls in 2 wide x 4 long. Push them down slightly to fit them nicely against each other, they should be snug but not cramped.
Cover your loaf tin with a damp tea towel and leave for another 40 minutes to allow to rise by at least 1 cm.
While your buns rise, whisk together your flour and water to form a thick paste, spoon into a piping bag or a freezer bag with a cut on the corner does the trick.
To achieve your signature cross on each bun, pipe the flour mixture over the buns in one long line over the length and widths of the loaf
Pop your buns in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are hard.
While they're cooking prepare your glaze simply by mixing the rice malt syrup with your coconut water and set aside.
Once buns are done, remove from the oven and brush over the tops with your glaze mix
Set aside for 5 - 10 minutes to allow to cool down
Enjoy warm on their own or toasted with some delicious spreads such as nut butter and maple syrup, jam or vegan margarine.
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