Hot Cross Buns GF DF

Based on the recipe found here, but using a breadmaker instead of a stand mixer and with a few adjustments to the recipe to make it dairy free!

Makes 12
Preparation: 30 minutes, + proving
Cooking: 15 minutes

3 teaspoons (10g) dried yeast
1 can coconut cream (400gm tin)
2 tablespoons caster sugar
31/4 cups (plus 2 tablespoons extra) Healtheries Simple Wheat & Gluten Free Bread Mix
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground mixed spice
60g dairy free margarine
2 cups dried mixed fruit
2 eggs
1 teaspoon sugar
Warmed apricot jam, to glaze

1. Place yeast, coconut cream and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Whisk to dissolve sugar. Rest for 10 minutes.

2. Sift together 31/4 cups bread mix, spices and 1/2 teaspoon salt into the breadmaker tin. Using fingertips, rub through margarine. Add mixed fruit, eggs and yeast mixture. Put on the dough function of your breadmaker.

3. Using a 1/3-cup dry measure, scoop into generous mounds on a greased
30x20cm lamington pan, making 3 rows of 4 mounds each. Rest the dough in a warm place for 45 minutes until almost doubled.

4. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan forced. Mix extra 2 tablespoons bread mix, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon water to a paste and pipe crosses on buns. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked through and browned. Brush on jam while still warm.

The most difficult part of making hot cross buns (in my opinion) is making the crosses. I guess it's the perfectionist in me! Oh well, these turned out okay. They taste great, and mean that we can all celebrate Good Friday carrying on a yummy tradition!

Shrove Tuesday - Crepe's

Using the crepe recipe and yummy ice cream recipe on this blog created a wonderful Shrove Tuesday experience for our family!

By way of explanation;
Shrove Tuesday is a great day for pancake lovers, but Shrove Tuesday also has a special religious significance for Christians, and provides a valuable message for people all over the world.

Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day as it is often called, is the last day before the Christian festival of Lent begins. Lent is the time when Christians prepare for Easter by giving up something special for 40 days. Traditionally Christians would fast (give up food) as a way of remembering the 40 days that Jesus spent alone in the desert, but nowadays people give up all sorts of things for the 40 day period. Television, meat, wine and chocolate are common sacrifices, but people can choose to forgo anything in recognition of the festival.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday. Traditionally Christians would rub ashes on their forehead on this day, as a way of showing they were sorry for their sins. The ashes are made from the palm crosses from last year’s Palm Sunday celebrations, and symbolise the death and resurrection of Christ.

the recipe box swap; Spag Bol

Spaghetti Bolognaise

2 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
500gm minced beef
1 x 400gm can's of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp mixed herbs - optional
1/2 glass of wine - optional

Brown the garlic and onion in the oil. Then add the mince and the other ingredients and boil until nice and thick.

Serve with fresh pasta and yummy cheese on top!

Scones made the dairy-free way!

3 cups flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
50 gm dairy free margarine
1 1/4 cups coconut cream (slightly less than a can)

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Rub the margarine into the flour mix until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add coconut cream and mix quickly into a soft dough. Lightly knead. Lightly dust an oven tray with flour. Press scone dough out onto this. Cut into even sizes. Leave a 2 cm space between scones. Brush tops with left over coconut cream. Bake at 220 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

homemade hamburger patties

Makes around 30 patties.

2kg minced beef
2 cups soft bread crumbs
1 cup homemade tomato sauce
4 eggs, lightly beaten

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and then shape mixture into patties, and snap-freeze on trays in freezer. Store in freezer bags until required.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Makes 2-3 cups.

2 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
2 x 400gm can's of chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp mixed herbs - optional
1/2 glass of wine - optional

Brown the garlic and onion in the oil, then add the other ingredients and boil until desired consistency.

Can be used to add to bolognaise sauce or as is.