A hot cross bun is a spiced, sweet bun marked with a cross on top.
Traditionally eaten on Good Friday, but tasty all year-round.
Ingredients:
Dry ingredients
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1 level tbsp coconut flour
1/3 cup psyllium husk powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp orange zest
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1.5 tbsp powdered erythritol or 1/6 teaspoon stevia powder
Wet ingredients
1/4 cup hot almond milk (more as needed)
3 organic egg whites, at room temperature (reserve one yolk)
2 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp dried cranberries, roughly chopped
For the glaze
The reserved egg yolk
1/2 tbsp almond milk
1 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice
For the crosses
1/4 tsp psyllium husk powder
1/2 heaped tsp coconut flour
3.5 tbsp almond milk
2 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice
Method: Makes 6 Hot Cross Buns / Prep time 30 minutes – Cook time 35 minutes.
1. Add all the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir well to combine. You may adjust spices and sweetener to suit your personal tastes.
2. Add the egg whites to the bowl, along with the orange juice. Mix well until you have a smooth, thick paste. You may use a fork to mash the mixture until smooth.
3. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius, 150 for fan assisted. Line a large shallow oven tray with baking paper. Slowly add the hot almond milk to the bowl a little at a time, folding the milk into the paste mixture. Continue adding hot almond milk until you reach a smooth dough consistency that can be easily kneaded. You can knead the milk into the dough with your hands if easier.
4. Add the dried chopped cranberries to the dough. Knead the cranberries throughout the dough.
5. Divide the dough into 6 even sized portions. Roll each portion into a ball and arrange across the lined oven tray. Press down a little with your hands to flatten. The dough will rise considerably in the oven.
6. Add all the glaze ingredients to a small bowl. Whisk together until smooth. You may add a touch of sweetener to the glaze if you wish. Use a pastry brush to brush a layer of the glaze over each bun.
7. Transfer the tray to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the buns are golden brown all over and just cooked through in the center.
8. While the buns are baking you can prepare the mixture for the crosses. Add all the cross ingredients to a small bowl. Whisk vigorously until you have a smooth, slightly gummy paste. If the mixture is too thick and rubbery, add a splash more milk. You may also add a touch of sweetener to the mix if desired.
9. Once the buns are just cooked through, remove them from the oven. Use a teaspoon or a small piping bag to make crosses with the paste over the cooked buns. Return to the oven for a further 3-4 minutes to cook the paste through. Allow the buns to cool before serving.
Notes: Some brands of psyllium powder can create an almost purple hue to the bread but this is normal. It is also important to ensure the ingredients quantities are accurate as low carb baking needs to be precise.
Nutritional information per serving:
lovely recipe, thank you
