Traditional and free-from hot cross buns

Two recipes, for the price of one Which you decide to make is down to you, but they’ll both leave you with a plate full of delicious spiced treats!

Vegan & gluten free hot cross buns recipe

This easy-peasy recipe doesn’t require a bread maker. Simply pour all the ingredients into one mixing bowl.

Ingredients

• 160g quick cooking gluten free oats *
• 110g brown rice flour *
• 140ml organic almond milk *
• 30g organic psyllium husks, powdered
• 25g organic raw apple cider vinegar *
• 20g coconut oil * melted
• 12g bicarbonate of soda
• 12g gluten free baking powder
• 40g dried sultanas *
• 40g mixed peel
• Pinch of ground cinnamon *
• 150ml cold water
• 30g agave syrup *
• 5g Himalayan rose pink herb salt *

* Available at Holland & Barrett

Method

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Step 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond milk with the apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, water and agave syrup. Combine before pouring in the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and psyllium husks. Mix well. Step 3. Add the rice flour, salt, oats, sultanas and mixed peel. You should be able to mould the mixture into one large dough ball. Step 4. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Split the dough ball into 8 – 10 smaller dough balls and spread out on the baking tray. Sprinkle some cinnamon on the top of each dough ball. Step 5. To make the white crosses, mix 1 tsp of oats with 3 tbsp of almond milk and 1 tsp. of rice flour. Brush a cross on the top of each dough ball. Step 6. Place baking tray in the middle of your oven and bake for 20 minutes until each hot cross bun is light brown in colour. Shop Food & Drink

Traditional hot cross buns recipe

For this recipe, you’ll need a bread maker.

Ingredients

• 400g plain flour *
• 60g butter *
• 60g caster sugar *
• 50g icing sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp. dried active baking yeast
• 120g dried currants *
• 60g mixed peel
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon *
• ¼  tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp dried milk powder
• 2 tbsp apricot jam * warm
• 3/8 tsp salt
• 2 tsp semi skimmed milk
• 175ml warm water (45 °C)
• 2 tbsp cold water

* Available at Holland & Barrett

Method

Step 1. Pour the plain flour, butter, caster sugar, egg, egg white, yeast, milk powder and salt into your bread machine. Add the warm water, select the dough program and let the machine get to work. Step 2. When there are only 7 minutes of kneading to go, open the door of the machine and add the cinnamon, mixed peel and currants. Close the door and let it finish- you want the dough to double in size. Step 3. Take the dough out of the machine, knock it down and kneed for 5 minutes on a floured worktop. You need to let it rest for 10 minutes so cover with a tea towel. Step 4. Split the dough into 10 – 12 equal pieces and start shaping into individual hot cross bun balls. Space out the dough balls on a baking tray which has been covered with parchment paper. Cover and leave for 45 minutes. They should double in size. Step 5. Preheat your oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Step 6. Mix the egg yolk with the cold water and use it to coat the outside of the dough balls. Place the dough balls on the baking tray and bake in the centre of your oven for 20 minutes. Step 7. Remove the baking tray from the oven and leave the buns to cool while you prepare the cross mixture. Step 8. In a small mixing bowl, combine the milk, icing sugar and vanilla extract. Use a small brush to add a cross to each bun. As a finishing touch, glaze all the buns by brushing over some warm apricot jam. Shop Food & Drink