Hungry and Fussy's gluten-free hot cross buns (suitable for Thermomix)

These recipes for gluten-free Easter baking come courtesy of Helen Tzouganatos, whose blog features her own gluten-free recipes for conventional cooks and for those who cook with a Thermomix.

You know it's Easter at my place when the aroma of sweet sticky hot cross buns spiked with cinnamon, sultanas and orange glaze hangs in the air. I look forward to the annual ritual of filling the house with that festive spicy scent.
Warning: The orange glaze that is brushed over the hot buns is so delicious you will be tempted to consume a few spoonfuls. Serve buns warm with lashings of butter and I guarantee your friends won't even know they are gluten free. Happy Easter.

Gluten-free hot cross buns

Makes: 12

Ingredients

For buns
1 tbs dry yeast
100g or 1/2 cup caster sugar
375g or 1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
540g or 4 1/2 cups White Wings plain gluten-free flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp all spice
2 eggs
50g melted butter
1 tsp grated orange rind
1 cup sultanas or raisins

For crosses
60g or 1/2 cup plain gluten-free flour
1 tsp caster sugar
50g or 3 tbs water

For orange glaze
2 tbs caster sugar
Pinch of cinnamon
Juice of 1 orange

Instructions

Conventional method

1. Combine yeast, milk and sugar in a small bowl and sit for 5 minutes until yeast starts to foam. Add dry sifted ingredients to a mixing bowl with paddle attachment.

2. Add yeast mixture, eggs, butter and orange rind to the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.

3. Add sultanas and mix low speed until combined.

4. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with cling wrap. Set aside in a warm place for 1 hr to allow dough to rise.

5. Dust hands with flour and roll dough mixture into 12 balls. If balls are very sticky dust with a little extra flour. Place balls side by side in a baking paper lined 20cm square cake tin. Cover in cling wrap and allow to rise an additional 30 min.

6. Mix cross ingredients in a small bowl and place into a piping bag. Pipe crosses over buns.

7. Bake in 200C oven for 30 min.

8. Prepare glaze by combining sugar, cinnamon and orange juice in a small saucepan and simmering for 3 minutes.

9. Brush hot buns with orange glaze. Serve warm with lashings of butter.

Thermomix method

1. Combine yeast, milk and sugar in a small bowl and sit for 5 minutes until yeast starts to foam.

2. Add dry ingredients to Thermomix bowl and mix 5 sec/speed 5.

3. Add yeast mixture, eggs, butter and orange rind to the dry ingredients and mix 1 min/speed 6.

4. Add sultanas and mix 10 sec/speed 4/reverse mode.

5. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with cling wrap. Set aside in a warm place for 1 hr to allow dough to rise.

6. Dust hands with flour and roll dough mixture into 12 balls. If balls are very sticky dust with a little extra flour. Place balls side by side in a baking paper lined 20 cm square cake tin. Cover in cling wrap and allow to rise an additional 30 min.

7. Mix cross ingredients in a bowl and place into a piping bag. Pipe crosses over buns.

8. Bake in 200C oven for 30 min.

9. Prepare glaze by combining sugar, cinnamon and orange juice in Thermomix bowl and mix Varoma/3 min/speed 3.

10. Brush hot buns with orange glaze. Serve warm with lashings of butter.

With thanks to Helen Tzouganatos of the Hungry and Fussy blog.