Preparing for Easter

Today I made Hot Cross Buns – a trial for Easter.  Oscar can’t have commercial hot cross buns as they all have preservatives and “spices” in them.  Last year I tried to make a failsafe version of Swedish Semlor (Lenten Buns), a custard filled bun, but something went terribly wrong and I ended up with a dough so sticky that it couldn’t be kneaded and had to be scraped off the bench with a knife.  It took hours to clean up the mess.  I decided to have one more go at baking with yeast, so I chose a choc-chip hot cross buns recipeto modify.  I was a bit worried to start with as the initial dough was very sticky and it didn’t rise as much as the recipe said it would, but they turned out beautifully!  I’ve frozen a couple so that Oscar can take them to day care when they have hot cross buns.I have also bought some low allergy easter eggs for Oscar from Allergy Train.  While Oscar can tolerate Amines, he his limited to plain easter eggs and I can’t be sure what is really in them when the ingredients contain “flavours”.  The best bet is a good quality chocolate egg or bunny, but I thought I would add a few of these white chocolate eggs and bunnies for a bit of variety, and to compensate for some of the not-so-safe chocolate he may get over easter.

Allergy Train White Chocolate Egg and Bunnies

 

Chocolate/Carob Chip Hot Cross Buns

Serves 12
Prep time 1 hour, 45 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes
Total time 2 hours
Allergy / Intolerance Artificial Addititives, Artificial Colours, Glutamates, Preservatives, Salicylates
Suitable for Amines Challenge, RPAH Elimination Diet - Amines Allowed, RPAH Elimination Diet – Very High Chemical
Meal type Sweet Things
Misc Child Friendly, Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot
Occasion Easter
Home made chocolate chip[ hot cross buns, nothing artificial, low in salicylates and glutamates.

Ingredients

  • 150ml milk
  • 8g Lowan's Dried Instant Yeast
  • 1 teaspoon caster sugar
  • 1 cup plain white flour
  • 1 cup plain wholemeal flour
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 50g unsalted Butter
  • 1 cup chocolate chips or chopped carob buttons
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 heaped tablespoon cocoa or carob

For the crosses:

  • 2 tablespoons plain flour
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa or carob
  • 2 - 3 tablespoons water

For the glaze:

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons caster sugar

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the milk, yeast and caster sugar. Leave in a warm place for 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture is frothy.
2. Sift the flours and cocoa/carob into a large bowl, adding the husks back in. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir through the choc/carob-chips and brown sugar.
3. Whisk the egg into the yeast mixture, then add to the flour mixture with the maple syrup and mix to a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
4. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with cling wrap and stand in a warm place for 40 minutes for the dough to rise.
5. Lightly grease a baking tray or square cake tin.
6. Punch the dough down once to release the gas. Knead lightly then divide into 12 equal pieces. Knead each piece until smooth then shape into rounds. Arrange the pieces on the tray, slightly apart. Cover with cling wrap or a clean tea towel and stand 20 minutes in a warm place for the dough to rise again.
7. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 200 C.
8. To make the crosses, mix the flour, cocoa/carob and enough water to make a smooth paste. Pipe the crosses on top of the buns.
9. Bake the buns for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they sound hollow when tapped.
10.
To make the glaze, combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Brush over the hot buns. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns
11. Best served warm. Store in an airtight container or in the freezer. Reheat wrapped in the oven wrapped in tin foil.

Note

Very High Amines, Low Salicylate, Low Glutamates

Using cocoa and chocolate chips in this recipe is High Amines.  If carob and carob buttons are used the recipe is low chemical / FAILSAFE.

Variations: Use Nestle white melts instead of the carob/chocolate chips.  If salicylates are tolerated, replace the maple syrup with a 1/2teaspoon of  cinnamon.

Notes:
I used 1 1/2 tspns of Lowan’s Instant Dried Yeast.
These are mini hot cross buns (smaller than store bought), you could make fewer big ones and cook for a bit longer, but I think these are the perfect portion size for a snack.

 

 

 


Tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

3 Responses to Preparing for Easter

  1. Oscar's Mum says:

    Thank you. They are quite yummy.

  2. Jamie says:

    Made these today! Super easy and delicious.

    I think next time I will double the recipe and make heaps of them.

  3. Kate says:

    so very excited to find your recipe. was just looking for a FAILSAFE receipe version of these for my children (salicylate, prervatives and addidive issues). Thanks so much! I'll check back at your blog!