Gluten and Dairy Free Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

Jude and I have been working on KinderBach's piano program, and Jude has recently begun learning to play "Hot Cross Buns."  To celebrate, we made Hot Cross Buns to eat.

Usually, Hot Cross Buns are served on Good Friday.  They became a Good Friday tradition during the reign of Elizabeth I, who decreed the sale of spiced breads illegal except for serving at funerals, Christmas, and on the Friday before Easter (Good Friday).  They are a rich, spiced dough usually studded with currants or raisins.

Although we used this recipe from Gluten Free on a Shoestring as our base, we made a few adjustments to make them safe for our allergies and skipped the raisins (partly because we didn't have any and partly because nobody here really likes raisins).  I was really surprised at how very much like a wheat dough sweet roll they were! They were a nice treat to have for a snack after piano practice.  

 Gluten and Dairy Free Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

2½ cups King Arthur Gluten Free Flour Mix
2 tsp xanthan gum
½ cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¾ teaspoon kosher salt

¾ cup So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage (plain or vanilla, heated to about 100 degrees F)
1 stick Earth's Balance Soy Free Margarine, melted and cooled (see directions)
3 large eggs, at room temperature, divided

1 cup plus 4 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar, divided
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 - 3 Tbsp coconut milk beverage

Directions:

Whisk together flour, xanthan gum, yeast, spices, and salt in a mixing bowl. If you have a stand mixer, use that bowl.  Create a small well in the center of the flour etc., and set the bowl aside.

Heat milk until barely steaming, and add margarine.  Stir until margarine is melted.  (Hot milk will melt the margarine, while the cold margarine will help cool down the milk so it doesn't kill your yeast.)  Check the temperature with a thermometer if possible (it should range between 90-110°F) or  carefully test a few drops against inside of your wrist (it should feel simply "wet" and neither warm nor cool).

Beat two of the eggs.

Add the milk/margarine and eggs to the flour mix.  Stir to combine.

Using a stand or hand beaters, beat the mixture on medium speed for six minutes.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or no-stick foil.  

Flour your hands, and carefully scoop out beaten dough and shape into tennis-sized balls.  Place them on the baking sheet.  (Each batch of dough should make 10 - 11 buns.)

Cover with a clean cloth and allow to rise for 30 minutes.  If your oven has a "bread proof" setting, turn the oven on to this setting, and place the sheet in the oven along with a ovenproof bowl of warm water.

After dough has grown by about half again in size, remove cover/from oven. 

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Either add a 2 cup ovenproof bowl with about 1 c. of water in it, or leave the bowl from the proofing in the oven.

Combine 1 egg with 4 Tbsp. powdered sugar, and carefully brush glaze onto buns.

Using a sharp knife or a pair of scissors, cut a shallow "X" into the top of the buns.

 (If you have a budding mathematician, you might need to make a few "equals sign" buns.)

Put the tray in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven, and turn oven off.  Allow buns and oven to cool 10 minutes.  Remove buns to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature, and carefully remove water bowl.  (Pour out water and allow bowl to cool.)

To glaze: 

 Note: Don't try to add the frosting before they are completely cooled or it will melt and ooze.  They're still yummy, but not so pretty.

Combine 2 c. powdered sugar with vanilla.  Add milk, 1 Tbsp at a time, until a thick, slightly fluid paste forms.  You want it to be thin enough to pipe on but thick enough to stay put when placed on the bun.

Place the glaze in a decorating or zip-top bag.  Snip the corner off and pipe two perpendicular lines of glaze onto each bun, creating a cross of frosting.

Store leftovers loosely covered, and eat within 2-3 days.

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