Coconut and Hazelnut Hot Cross Buns

Happy Easter! I’m currently on Dartmoor and soaking up some much-needed country air. While I was here I thought, I would take the opportunity to make some Easter treats and photograph them in amongst some of the beautiful flowers that are in bloom at the moment. I don’t think baking is my cooking forte. I find how accurate you have to be difficult. But this recipe was very easy. There is some proofing to be done, but actually once I had finished panicking over that everything turned out pretty easy.

The addition of coconut and hazelnut to the more traditional hot cross bun formula worked really well. Plus nuts are a brilliant source of protein. Hazelnuts have a high amount of vitamin E in addition to B vitamins, including folate. Vitamin E is important in maintaining healthy skin, hair and nails, so all my ladies get to eating hazelnuts if you want glowy skin and glossy hair! The B vitamins are important in proper cell and energy metabolism. Hazelnuts are also a rich source of potassium, calcium and magnesium

I used coconut cream, flour and water to create the crosses, and piped them on to the buns with a piping bag. If you don’t have a piping bag don’t worry you can use a food/ freezer bag. Simply fill the bag with the mixture and snip off one corner.

I kept the sugar content in these fairly low so that they are super diabetic friendly. I only added one teaspoon to activate the yeast. If however you want to up the sugar feel free. I would suggest upping the sugar to 25g if you have a sweet tooth.

My favourite part of creating this recipe was actually walking around the farm, soaking up the sunshine and finding pretty spots to take photos (and of course the eating). I even had a go at a photoshoot with a chicken, the rule never work with animals or children is very true, haha! I’m really enjoying developing my photography skills as my blog progresses. If anyone has any hints and tips for me I would love to hear from you.

Ingredients

For the buns

350g gluten free white flour

2 teaspoons mixed spice

2 teaspoons cinnamon

75g currants

50g mixed peel

1 satchet yeast

25g desiccated coconut

50g hazelnuts (crushed)

Rind of 1 orange

250ml hazelnut milk

75g vegan margarine (melted)

1 teaspoon sugar

For the cross

4 teaspoons coconut cream

30g gluten free white flour

8 tablespoons water

For the glaze

1 cup hazelnut milk

Method

1) In a large bowl mix the flour, spices, yeast, sugar, currants, mixed peel, orange rind, hazelnuts and coconut.

2) Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the hazelnut milk and the melted margarine, combine with the dry ingredients slowly until a soft dough has formed.

3)Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.

4)Grease a bowl with vegan margarine and place the dough in here. Cover with cling film and leave the dough to proof for 1 - 2 hours in a warm place. (I used my oven which I had had on the lowest heat setting for 5 minutes before hand and turned off once I placed the dough inside). The dough should double inside.

5) Combine your coconut cream, flour and water for the crosses and place in a piping bag.

6) Once your dough has risen remove from the bowl and knead for 5 minutes, then divide into 12 equally sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place on a greased baking tray. Leave to rise again for 30 mins.

7) Once proofed for the second time glaze each bun with hazelnut milk and pipe the crosses on top.

8) Place the hot cross buns in the oven for 18 minutes at 200'c.

9) Remove the buns from the oven and glaze for a second time. Place back in the oven for a further 5-10 minutes until the hot cross buns are golden brown.