By: Susan Joy
Hot Cross Buns have always been a tradition at Easter time in our home but the muffin style I usually made wasn’t popular with my hubby.
He wanted them to look like real buns but still be healthy and flavoursome. The addition of psyllium husk powder to the recipe has helped make the mixture hold together well to shape into buns, plus a couple of other tweaks. Sometimes it’s not always good that he likes a recipe this much, they just don’t last but I’m glad they freeze well to hide.
Ingredients
- 3 lge egg(s)
- 1 sml – med ripe banana(s), (you can’t taste the banana in the buns)
- 1/4 cup macadamia oil, or oil of choice
- 3 Tbsp honey (unprocessed)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 1/4 cups almond meal/flour
- 1 cup arrowroot flour, or tapioca
- 2 Tbsp psyllium husk powder, (not husks/flakes)
- 1 Tbsp fine orange zest, or 6 drops wild orange essential oil (I use doterra)
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking powder (gluten free)
- 1 tsp baking soda (bicarb)
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup sultanas (organic)
- 4 lge Medjool date(s), pitted and diced
- CROSSES:
- 3 Tbsp arrowroot flour, or tapioca
- 2 Tbsp almond meal/flour
- 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 Tbsp filtered water
- GLAZE (OPTIONAL):
- 1 Tbsp honey (unprocessed)
- 1 Tbsp filtered water
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 170c (fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Add the eggs, banana, oil, honey and vinegar to a food processor. Process for 10 seconds or until combined.
Add the almond meal, arrowroot, psyllium powder, zest or essential oil, spices, baking powder, soda and salt to the wet ingredients. Process for 5 seconds, scrape down sides of the bowl and then process for a further 15 seconds.
Remove the blade and use a spatula to mix the sultanas and dates evenly through the mixture. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes to thicken further.
Scoop out 10 equal portions of the mixture using a spatula and place onto the prepared tray. Leave a slight gap between each portion (they will rise and fill the space when cooking). Use damp fingers to smooth and shape the portions to look like buns.
Bake for 15 – 18 minutes or until risen and just starting to lightly brown. Remove buns from the oven and pipe over the crosses (see notes below) and return to bake for a further 10 minutes or until lightly golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean. (The inside will be a little darker in colour than store-bought buns, we have delicious spices in these buns).
To make the crosses:
You need a thick paste. Add the arrowroot and almond meal to a cup or small bowl and stir. Add 1 tablespoon of water and mix well, then add extra water by the teaspoon to create a thick paste (just an extra few drops can make it too runny). Spoon or pour into a piping bag or snip the corner off a snap-lock bag. Pipe lengthways in one continuous line over the buns and then across (hold the end to stop the paste dripping as you change direction).
Glazing the buns (optional):
Glazing makes the buns shine and look more like shop-bought, but not necessary. Heat the honey, water and cinnamon together. Once the buns have cooled slightly, use a pastry brush to add a thin coat of syrup.
Serve warm with organic butter (if tolerated) or ghee, they are best eaten on the day or rewarmed, also delicious sliced and toasted. They can be stored frozen with the glaze on or left to coat once thawed and warmed before serving.
Article supplied with thanks to The JOYful Table.
About the Author: Susan is an author of The JOYful Table cookbook containing gluten & grain free, and Paleo inspired recipes for good health and wellbeing.
Feature image: Supplied