That smell! That texture! Nothing beats a deliciously, soft, spicy hot cross bun at Easter time, layered with grass-fed organic butter or raspberry jam. This home-made version is gluten, dairy, refined sugar free – healthy!
In a small bowl, place the yeast, maple syrup and water and mix together. Set aside in a warm spot covered by a tea towel to proof for 10 minutes.
While waiting, in a large bowl add all of the other ingredients (except eggs, olive oil, sultanas) and mix together.
In a medium bowl, add the eggs, olive oil and yeast mixture and mix with an electric beater until fluffy.
Pour this liquid and the sultanas into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix together. Leave to meld together.
Turn the oven onto 160°C Fanbake (or 180°C conventional)
Make the cross mixture, you want it to be like a paste. Add to a small plastic zip lock bag then cut off the tip of a corner.
Mix the bun mixture again slightly, then with wet hands, roll into around 10-12 balls and place on baking paper in a dish with a 1cm gap between each. Cover with a hot damp tea towel and place somewhere warm in the sun or hotwater cupboard for 1-1.5 hours.
The balls should now have risen and look more like buns. Pipe the cross mixture onto the buns, may need to use fingers to press down or shape as desired.
Cover the dish with tinfoil and place in the oven. Cook for around 8 minutes then take out of oven and remove tinfoil, then bake for a further 8-10 minutes until golden.
