Hot cross buns

In many countries, hot cross buns are a delicious must for Easter time. Despite this recipe being a bit time consuming you can enjoy these tasty low FODMAP buns that still have a truly traditional flavor. Enjoy, and have a happy Easter!

(Makes 12 buns)

·200ml Full Cream Milk (lactose free if required)

·14g (2 sachets) Dried Yeast

·4 Tbs (55g) Butter, unsalted

·2 Cups (250g) Maize flour (from corn)

·125g Rice flour (fine, white)

·125g Potato flour (starch)

·3 Tsp (5g) Xanthan Gum*

·1 Tsp (3g) Salt

·½ Cup (75g) Caster Sugar

·1 Large Egg

·1 Tsp (1g) Cinnamon

·2 Tsp (2g) Mixed Spice

·78g Currants, dried

·78g Cranberries, dried

·1 Tbs (10g) Extra maize flour

·1/3 Cup Mixed peel

·Cooking Spray

Glaze Ingredients:

·3 Tbs (77g) Strawberry Jam (without High Fructose Corn Syrup)

·1 Tbs Water

Cross Ingredients:

·1 ½ Cups Pure icing sugar, sifted

·3 Tbs (39g) Butter, Melted

·4-5 Tbs Milk

Method:

1.Warm milk until it is luke-warm stir in yeast to activate (it should dissolve and bubble). Set aside for5-10 minutes.

2.Melt the butter

3.In a large bowl mix flours (sifted), sugar, xanthan gum, salt and spices. Make a well in the centre and incorporate milk and yeast mixture, butter and egg, mix with a wooden spoon, a dough mixer or your hand to a cohesive and slightly sticky dough. Note: this does not need to be kneaded.

4.Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Leave the dough to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.

5.Mix the fruits and peel with the extra maize flour, breaking up any clumps.

6.Knock back the dough and re-oil the bowl and your hands. Sprinkle the over the dough and work together until the mixture is evenly incorporated.

7.On a lightly oiled work surface pat out the dough into a log (~4cm diameter) and cut into 12 even pieces (~85-90g each).

8.Prepare an oven tray with baking paper and roll dough portions into balls, place evenly on the tray leaving 1cm between each.

9.Leave this tray in a warm place until they have again, doubled in size (~2hours)

10.Preheat oven to 180°C. For better results, place a deep baking tray half full of boiling water on a rack near the bottom of the oven to provide some steam.

11.Bake the buns for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Place the hot buns on a cooling rack and glaze whilst they are still hot.

Glaze:

1.Melt the jam with water until it is runny, then paint the hot buns with the glaze. (If your glaze is lumpy, try putting it through a sieve)

Cross:

1.Melt the butter and add to the icing sugar.

2.Gradually add the milk using a fork to achieve a cohesive but stiff icing.

3.Place icing in a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle on the just cooled buns. Alternatively, use a snap lock bag and snip a tiny corner off to create a 2mm hole to pipe the icing.

*Xanthan Gum is in the process of being tested, however, from the chemical structure we believe it will be low FODMAP