This is an adaption of a Pureharvest Recipe which can be found here, but I'll let you decide which one to use!
HEALTHY (VEGAN) HOT CROSS BUNS
Makes 12
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp rice malt syrup/other sweetener of choice
- 150ml tepid water (1:2 cold-to-boiling water ratio)
- 7g sachet of dried yeast
- 450g wholemeal spelt flour
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 200g sultanas
- Zest of one orange
- 1 lightly beaten egg (vegans can replace this with 1 tbsp chia mixed with 3 tbsp water, left for about 10 minutes prior to use)
- 50ml extra virgin olive oil/coconut oil
- 50ml non-dairy milk
- 50ml rice malt syrup/other sweetener of choice
- 100g buckwheat/brown rice flour
- 75ml water
- 1 lightly beaten egg (vegans can omit this step)
- 50ml rice malt syrup/other sweetener of choice
Method:
- Mix the 1 tsp of rice malt syrup and the water and then add the yeast. Gently stir and then leave aside.
- Sift the flour, salt and mixed spice into a big bowl, and then add the orange zest and sultanas.
- On the stove or in the microwave, warm the milk with the 50ml of rice malt syrup.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the yeast mixture, beaten egg, oil and about 3/4 of the milk/rice malt syrup mixture. Stir until it forms a dough using a fork or wooden spoon. (If the dough is too dry feel free to add more milk/rice malt syrup gradually, but be careful of making it too wet)
- Place the dough on a clean surface dusted with flour and knead until smooth (about 5 minutes). Then place it in a large mixing bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave it in a warm place for about an hour until it has doubled in size (I used the car), and then take it out and knead again until it's back to its original size. Divide the dough into 12 balls and place on a lightly greased baking tray, with space in between them because they expand! Cover with a damp tea towel again and place back in the warm place for about 35–40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 220C.
- Brush the risen buns with the beaten egg and about half of the rice malt syrup (vegans just use rice malt syrup). For the cross, mix the flour and the water together to form a paste and pipe it onto your buns after they have risen the second time (I did this just by using a zip lock bag with the corner snipped off!)
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden (when you tap the bottom with your knuckle, it should sound hollow). Be careful not to overcook though - I once baked a batch for 30 minutes and they were dry by the next day!
- Take the buns out of the oven and brush with more rice malty syrup while they're still hot, and test your willpower to see how long you last until you demolish them! I love eating them toasted and topped with organic pure butter, a sprinkling of cinnamon and banana, but how you have them is completely up to you!
Some variations you can make on this recipe:
- 200g dried apple/apricot instead of sultanas
- 150g dark choc-chips instead of sultanas
- Double choc with 150g dark chic-chips instead of sultanas and 4 tbsp cacao powder mixed in with the dry ingredients
Enjoy and have a happy Easter!
Lisa xxx