Hot Cross Buns - Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Sugar Free

Towards the end of January or possibly early February this year, Roleen Moodley sort of challenged me into making a carb and sugar detox friendly Hot Cross buns.  I didn't pay much attention to it, as I am not much of a baker and don't have a sweet tooth.  Easters come and go without me indulging in the store bought sugar-laden confectionary as well as the eggs the "Easter Bunny" keeps stashed away until the big hunt for the kids.
 
I took up the challenge silently, scouring recipe books and blogs and internet sites for the ideal recipe and sadly although many bakers or bloggers have gluten free recipes, their recipes either contain some amount of grain or invariably, sugar.  Most challenging of the other recipes is the yeast factor as well which causes the dough to rise.   After many searches, I came across Tania's Pantry, who offered a muffin mix recipe that could pass off as a Hot Cross Bun, and it even comes with the cross! The chia seeds that were soaked in water add to the spongy springy texture and the medjool dates processed with the flours and spices, are absorbed into the flours and are the taste factor in this recipe. It gives a wonderfully sweet taste to this recipe, however, should you want a sweeter taste, then add in a teaspoon of raw honey or half a mashed banana.  You may wish to add in other dried fruit - check that they are preservative and sugar free.  Dried dates, preservative and sugar free is the cheaper option to fresh medjool dates. My first attempt was with dried cranberry's combined with the dates and it worked well.  I tried out this recipe twice, and finally after passing the taste test by a friend last night and Roleen and also Bianca Losper earlier today, I decided to give this another go and share it on my blog. 

So reader, no need to go off your plan this Easter if you are planning on going dairy, gluten, grain and sugar free...this recipe is a sure winner!


Ingredients
 
1 cup  (250ml)  almond flour

2 tablespoons chia seeds

3/4 cups Tapioca Flour

3/4 cups medjool dates

2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 

2 tblsp apple cider vinegar

3 eggs

A pinch of Himalayan or Sea salt

1/4 cup water

2 tblsp olive oil or melted coconut oil if you prefer

 

Optional and/or additional Sweeteners

1/2 tsp raw honey OR

1/2 mashed ripe banana

 

 

Here's How

• Preheat the oven at 180 degrees celcius

• Soak the chia seeds in about a quarter cup water until gelatinous
  

    

  
  

   

  
  

   

  Cut up the dates into small sized cubes

 

• Sift together the almond and tapioca flours along with the cinnamon and ginger powders, bicarbonate of soda & a pinch of salt.

 

• Add the dry ingredients and the dates into a food processor and blend until the dates are incorporated into the flour mixture and no lumpy bits are visible. 

 

 

 

 

• Mix the eggs, apple cider vinegar, water, olive or coconut oil and add to the food processor with the dry ingredients. Add in the soaked chia seeds as well.

• Process and form a muffin batter.

 

• Pour the mixture into individual muffin cups or cupcake trays or paper moulds, ramekins, silicon muffin cups and trays or any baking vessel you deem appropriate.  You may make this in a cake mould and cut as desired.
• Add the cross to each hot cross bun

 

 

How to make the mixture for the cross

 

• Add 100g dry, shredded or desiccated preservative and sugar free coconut into your blender or food processor and blend until a coconut butter is formed.
• Add 1 egg white and a bit of lemon juice into the coconut butter and blend until a soft, yet pliable dough is formed

• Roll out or pipe a cross onto the hot cross bun batter before baking

 

 

 

Bake the hot cross buns for 25-30 minutes until cooked

 

 

 

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate if not eaten immediately.  This recipe makes 12 small hot cross buns or 6 large ones.