A Catch Up & A Recipe for Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns

Hi. It's been a while since I've visited this space. I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not really. Life got in the way and sometimes that just happens and I'm good with that. Plus it was a pretty good slice out of that delicious cake called life. The last two and a bit months since I shared my healthier take on the classic lemon slice have been crammed full of (mainly) wedding things. Yep, this girl who has never believed that a piece of paper was particularly important when she loves someone signed on the dotted line and married her prince (as my Mum puts it) just a few short weeks ago. It's true what they say that the day flies by and before you know it it's all over, but my goodness, you certainly collect some of the most awesome memories on that day of days . A day that was filled with friends, family, 186 polaroids, smiles, hugs, a few tears and jars of lavender, babies breath, seaholly and daisies dotted across tables while fairy light flickered our own starry sky inside the winery and a gluten free dessert table that would make a 6year old (coeliac) at a birthday party positively wet their pants with glee!

Hahahaha... yes, I just wrote that on a food blog - ha! It wouldn't have been our wedding without a bunch of surprises; such as me, The Bride, (my friend tells me capitals are required when saying that) jumping on the bus with the guests to the secret ceremony location, which I think was one of the highlights of the day, seeing their faces when I gathered my ivory gown in my hands and walked up to the top of the double decker bus in Margaret River's town centre - oh their faces! Oh the woops of joy, it was so much fun chatting and relaxing before those next big moments. Then that moment... I can't even explain, but boy was I happy to walk to himand finally hold his hands in mine... I may of may not have whispered 'I made it!'.

Although we couldn't serve Tokay or Muscat at the end of dinner due to the venue's liquor licensing, like we usually do when we entertain we did put on that gluten free, homemade from scratch dessert table thanks to the culinary genius of our Mums, my Nan, my gorgeous man and I and seeing every single guest pile their plate up high with those homemade desserts made the 5times that I made that banana cake worthwhile. If you follow me on instagram , you probably saw the testers. Although, I was disappointed that I got distracted halfway through my own piece of wedding cake and never got to finish it...

One day soon, I'll make that decadent, but not too rich brown sugar, almond banana cake layered with caramel and mascarpone icing (again) and share it with you, but for now all I can share with you are some rather belated images from our Easter weekend. Spent up in Daylesford , about an hour and a half drive North West of Melbourne, with friends, new and old. It was a delicious day filled with lobster risotto, lamb cooked on an ingenious McGyver'd spit in the back yard (seriously, the aromas of delicious roast lamb followed me around for two days afterwards), there was berry picking and then berry throwing after we deduced that they'd been sprayed and then there were the hounds who ran around us whilst we wandered down to the little tourist railway whilst the sun shone through the grey Sunday clouds. There was dessert, I brought along my favourite brownie cooked in my new favourite fashion; with blobs of dulce de leche and big chunks of milk chocolate dotted through and melting like chocolate lava and this plum cake that I need to share with you soon. 

I had attended one of my gorgeous friend, Ali's tasting nights at her gluten free providore Three Ducks in Richmond (If you live in Melbourne and you're Coeliac like me, then you should definitely visit) the week prior and whilst wolfing down too many samples of the gluten free hot cross buns I spotted the Springhill Farm recipe card for their own hot cross buns and knowing that I had a pack of their real bread mix at home I knew what my Easter Friday would be filled with... the sweet aromas of cinnamon wafting from my oven. These hot cross buns were exactly what my belly was after, or maybe it was the half centimeter of butter I slathered on top? Either way - oh myyyy!

I'm looking forward to visiting Daylesford again sometime soon in my new emerald green gumboots (yep, that's me and yes, I wore those boots for half the wedding day!), so that I can traipse around the countryside and then wrap myself up in a big cozy cardigan in front of a fire and fall asleep reading a book with my husband. Yes, it's totally weird saying that, but when he confirmed dinner the night after our wedding and said 'My wife's Coeliac' I did do a massive happy dance and throw my arms around him. I also did a complete 'Pretty Woman', running and jumping (falling) onto the bed in my bathrobe whilst giggling my heart out, but then, I've always loved that movie!

Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns

Barely changed from the original Springhill Farm Recipe found here .

1 bag Springhill Farms Real Bread Mix (I used their fruit mix as it's all I had)

2tsp (7g) dried yeast

450ml warm water

1tsp mixed spice

1tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup castor sugar

1 1/3 cups sultanas

1 cup leftover christmas fruit mix with dried apricots too as you've run out of currants (or all currants if you have them!)

Glaze: 

Mix together 60ml boiling water with 1tblspn raw castor sugar & 1/2tsp cinnamon just as the buns come out of the oven.

Preheat oven to 200degrees celcius and grease and flour a 20cm round springform pan, or 20cm square pan with high edges.

Take 1/4 cup flour from your bread mix and set aside for later.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a sturdy stand mixer, Using the dough hook, beat on medium speed for about 10minutes. You could do this by hand for a fabulous arm work out, it'll just take a little more time (and effort)

Take half the flour mix you set aside earlier and dust your board and hands to stop the dough sticking.

Divide the dough into 10 or 12 equal portions and rolls or press into rough balls. Personally I like the rusticity of not quite perfect buns! As you roll the balls place them close together in your prepared tray. Cover with a teatowel or grease glad wrap and leave in a warm spot to rise for about 35-40minutes.

Mix the remaining flour mix with 1-2tbslp warm water to make a paste. Transfer to a small piping bag and pipe crosses over the buns.

Bake for 30minutes and they should be golden on top and firm to the touch. Oh, and your house will smell ah-mazing!

Remove from the oven and brush over the glaze. Leave the buns to cool for approximately 30minutes as they do retain their heat.

Serve warm with butter and jam if you wish.

Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container. Simply break off the buns you want, wrap tightly in alfoil and heat in a preheated 200degree celcius oven for approximately 10minutes.

Not a hot cross bun fan? Check out some of my gluten free chocolate recipes for your Easter instead.