A Catch Up & A Recipe for Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns

Hi. It's been a while since I've visited this space. I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not really. Life got in the way and sometimes that just happens and I'm good with that. Plus it was a pretty good slice out of that delicious cake called life. The last two and a bit months since I shared my healthier take on the classic lemon slice have been crammed full of (mainly) wedding things. Yep, this girl who has never believed that a piece of paper was particularly important when she loves someone signed on the dotted line and married her prince (as my Mum puts it) just a few short weeks ago. It's true what they say that the day flies by and before you know it it's all over, but my goodness, you certainly collect some of the most awesome memories on that day of days. A day that was filled with friends, family, 186 polaroids, smiles, hugs, a few tears and jars of lavender, babies breath, seaholly and daisies dotted across tables while fairy light flickered our own starry sky inside the winery and a gluten free dessert table that would make a 6year old (coeliac) at a birthday party positively wet their pants with glee!

Hahahaha... yes, I just wrote that on a food blog - ha! It wouldn't have been our wedding without a bunch of surprises; such as me, The Bride, (my friend tells me capitals are required when saying that) jumping on the bus with the guests to the secret ceremony location, which I think was one of the highlights of the day, seeing their faces when I gathered my ivory gown in my hands and walked up to the top of the double decker bus in Margaret River's town centre - oh their faces! Oh the woops of joy, it was so much fun chatting and relaxing before those next big moments. Then that moment... I can't even explain, but boy was I happy to walk to him and finally hold his hands in mine... I may of may not have whispered 'I made it!'.

Although we couldn't serve Tokay or Muscat at the end of dinner due to the venue's liquor licensing, like we usually do when we entertain we did put on that gluten free, homemade from scratch dessert table thanks to the culinary genius of our Mums, my Nan, my gorgeous man and I and seeing every single guest pile their plate up high with those homemade desserts made the 5times that I made that banana cake worthwhile. If you follow me on instagram, you probably saw the testers. Although, I was disappointed that I got distracted halfway through my own piece of wedding cake and never got to finish it...







One day soon, I'll make that decadent, but not too rich brown sugar, almond banana cake layered with caramel and mascarpone icing (again) and share it with you, but for now all I can share with you are some rather belated images from our Easter weekend. Spent up in Daylesford, about an hour and a half drive North West of Melbourne, with friends, new and old. It was a delicious day filled with lobster risotto, lamb cooked on an ingenious McGyver'd spit in the back yard (seriously, the aromas of delicious roast lamb followed me around for two days afterwards), there was berry picking and then berry throwing after we deduced that they'd been sprayed and then there were the hounds who ran around us whilst we wandered down to the little tourist railway whilst the sun shone through the grey Sunday clouds. There was dessert, I brought along my favourite brownie cooked in my new favourite fashion; with blobs of dulce de leche and big chunks of milk chocolate dotted through and melting like chocolate lava and this plum cake that I need to share with you soon. 

I had attended one of my gorgeous friend, Ali's tasting nights at her gluten free providore Three Ducks in Richmond (If you live in Melbourne and you're Coeliac like me, then you should definitely visit) the week prior and whilst wolfing down too many samples of the gluten free hot cross buns I spotted the Springhill Farm recipe card for their own hot cross buns and knowing that I had a pack of their real bread mix at home I knew what my Easter Friday would be filled with... the sweet aromas of cinnamon wafting from my oven. These hot cross buns were exactly what my belly was after, or maybe it was the half centimeter of butter I slathered on top? Either way - oh myyyy!





I'm looking forward to visiting Daylesford again sometime soon in my new emerald green gumboots (yep, that's me and yes, I wore those boots for half the wedding day!), so that I can traipse around the countryside and then wrap myself up in a big cozy cardigan in front of a fire and fall asleep reading a book with my husband. Yes, it's totally weird saying that, but when he confirmed dinner the night after our wedding and saide 'My wife's Coeliac' I did do a massive happy dance and throw my arms around him. I also did a complete 'Pretty Woman', running and jumping (falling) onto the bed in my bathrobe whilst giggling my heart out, but then, I've always loved that movie!

Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns
Barely changed from the original Springhill Farm Recipe found here.

1 bag Springhill Farms Real Bread Mix (I used their fruit mix as it's all I had)
2tsp (7g) dried yeast
450ml warm water
1tsp mixed spice
1tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup castor sugar
1 1/3 cups sultanas
1 cup leftover christmas fruit mix with dried apricots too as you've run out of currants (or all currants if you have them!)

Glaze:  Mix together 60ml boiling water with 1tblspn raw castor sugar & 1/2tsp cinnamon just as the buns come out of the oven.

Preheat oven to 200degrees celcius and grease and flour a 20cm round springform pan, or 20cm square pan with high edges.

Take 1/4cup flour from your bread mix and set aside for later.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a sturdy stand mixer, Using the dough hook, beat on medium speed for about 10minutes. You could do this by hand for a fabulous arm work out, it'll just take a little more time (and effort)

Take half the flour mix you set aside earlier and dust your board and hands to stop the dough sticking.

Divide the dough into 10 or 12 equal portions and rolls or press into rough balls. Personally I like the rusticity of not quite perfect buns! As you roll the balls place them close together in your prepared tray. Cover with a teatowel or grease glad wrap and leave in a warm spot to rise for about 35-40minutes.

Mix the remaining flour mix with 1-2tbslp warm water to make a paste. Transfer to a small piping bag and pipe crosses over the buns.

Bake for 30minutes and they should be golden on top and firm to the touch. Oh, and your house will smell ah-mazing!

Remove from the oven and brush over the glaze. Leave the buns to cool for approximately 30minutes as they do retain their heat.

Serve warm with butter and jam if you wish.

Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container. Simply break off the buns you want, wrap tightly in alfoil and heat in a preheated 200degree celcius oven for approximately 10minutes.

Not a hot cross bun fan? Check out some of my gluten free chocolate recipes for your Easter instead.

Lemon Lovin' for my Valentine:: Gluten Free Lemon Slice Recipe

Yesterday marked 2months and 10 days until our big day. Since our engagement, it's a date that has come up mighty fast and one that I'm excited about. As a teenager many weekends were spent trailing around after my Dad or one of his photographer friends being second shooter at weddings. Lugging around a heavy camera at wedding whilst you're 17, now that's a different point of view. Now, ten years later, I'll be on the other side of the camera and in that dress walking down the isle towards my gorgeous future husband. Husband. Gosh that sounds weird.



It's funny. All those years photographing weddings, I never thought I'd one day be the woman walking down that isle toward her future husband. No, I never imagined being up there. Loving someone. Living with someone. Creating our own bundle of joy. Yes. Yes. Yes. Having a day all about committing to each other... I found that a little harder to imagine.

Now, as we're just a short time away from doing that exact thing with my own man to see standing at the end of thatisle, who shares the same ideas about how we want to spend our big day, let alone lives together, it's a lot easier to imagine. Outside, under the trees, surrounded by an intimate group of friends and family who have been a part of our journey together and who will be there as our journey continues. After that we just want people to have fun and enjoy themselves, because we believe that we should start as we plan to continue; to surround ourselves with loved ones, laugh at ourselves (and at each other), to create new memories together and always (well, at least nearly) everyday enjoy a meal together.



Or, in this case a treat. In fact a  treat that I don't even really like. Ha! I'm just not a lemon fan, sorry folks. Although, the callout I made yesterday on facebook gave me so many delicious ideas that I will be trying some new recipes out- thanks all!  Useful treat when you're about to fit yourself into a special dress, eh? After the deliciousness that we consumed shooting the Christmas Magazine and the tins of treats (yep, tins, 4 of them; shortbread, fruit mince pies, fruit cake AND apricot balls) that my Mum made us over Christmas it's time to clean up our eating a little. However, there IS a loved up holiday coming up, so in the spirit of that loved up day I thought I'd make my gorgeous fiance something that he would love. Something lemony. A healthier take on the old lemon slice, but just as good with a delicious savoury (well less sweet anyway) nutty base and a naughty tart, yet sweet, topping it's definitely a new favourite of his, now it's his turn to make me something delicious. Mmmmm I feel a risotto craving coming on (he makes a kick arse risotto)

So, here's to sweet treats (or savoury feasts) with those you love  xxx

A Healthier Take on the Lemon Slice
Base adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen
Makes 9 deliciously tart squares

Base:
35g (1/3cup) raw pecans
45g (1/3cup) raw cashews
35g (1/4cup) amaranth flour (or any other gluten free flour should do the trick)
95g (3/4cup) gluten free muesli - I used Brookfarms's
1/4cup coconut oil
1tbslpn honey
1-2tsp water (if needed)

Lemon Topping
200g (about 1.5cups) gluten free icing sugar, sifted
zest & juice of 1 lemon
1/4cup coconut to 'dust'

To make the base. Heat oven to 180degrees celcius and line a 15cm sq tin with baking paper.

Pulse together the first four ingredients in a small food processor until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add the oil and honey and pulse until the mixture has combined togther so there's no dry bits. Add a teaspoon or two of water if needed. Press into th prepared baking tray and freeze for 20minutes.

Bake for 15minutes and allow to cool in the tray.

To make the topping combine the sugar, zest and lemon juice and mix together with a spoon. Pour over the cooled base. Sprinkle with coconut and allow to set.

Will keep for 4days in an airtight container.

Note. This could easily be made into a ginger or peppermint slice just switch out the lemon zest for a 1/4tsp ginger and a splash of water or for a little peppermint essence (test as you go, start with a teeny bit, haven't used that stuff for years!) and on the peppermint version top with a thin layer of melted dark chocolate. Ok, have to go to bed now before I start using our food processor at 11pm and waking up our apartment block!