Spelt Hot Cross Buns (Wheat & Dairy Free)

Reply

Wheat Free Hot Cross Buns Recipe Spelt Hot Cross Buns (Wheat & Dairy Free) photoYou would expect someone of stable mind to be suffering from Hot Cross Bun fatigue after weeks of dining out, almost exclusively, on the bready Easter treat.*

But, no. Not this bunny.

Unfortunately, my current (currant?) food obsession means my wheat and dairy intolerant digestive system is not a happy rabbit.

But, I’m hooked. And until Easter passes, I’m afraid I simply will not be able to resist devouring as many sticky, spicy fruit buns as humanly possible.

So, I can either persevere until my intestines implode or I can hit the kitchen and start churning out my own wheat and dairy free buns (I reckon I’ll choose the latter option).

I’m looking forward to dusting off my recipe for Spelt Hot Cross Buns. It makes a large batch of fluffy buns and can be easily modified to include or exclude dairy (without sacrificing taste and texture either way).

Give them a go over the long weekend yourself! They are pretty easy to make (if you are organised enough to allow time for proving the dough) and nothing beats an Easter bun fresh out of the oven. Yum!

*The reason for my hot-cross-bun-centric diet – other than my general voraciousness – was to uncover the ‘best buns’ in Brisbane. You can view the results here.

Grab the recipe for my Spelt Hot Cross Buns here →

Black Forest Cake

Reply

Black Forest Cake Recipe1 Black Forest Cake photoNow, I think it’s time for dessert.

The Gourmet Belle’s recent London-Olympics-inspired recipe for traditional Roast Beef with Yorkies demands to be followed by a good pud.

Because the Brits love a good pud (don’t we all?).

And ‘back in the day’ (in this case the 1970′s), there was none more impressive or indulgent than the Black Forest Gateau (or, more accurately, Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte).

Fast forward 40 years, and this Anglo favourite is a little kitsch. However, kitsch inevitably translates into cool…especially when culinary superstar, Heston Blumenthal, proclaims a love for it.

Heston Blumenthal Black Forest Gateau1 Black Forest Cake photoHeston (obviously) has his own fantastical version of this decadent multi-layered cake.

And I love it.

However, like most mere mortals, I do not have the precision, tenacity or inclination required to perfectly execute his exquisite rendition (and I cannot even contemplate using the vacuum cleaner as a cooking utensil, as Heston suggests in his recipe).

Therefore, my take on black forest cake is definitely more modest; and it certainly looks a little more ‘rustic’ than Heston’s (ok…it looks a LOT more rustic). But, it is still ‘Heston-inspired’.

Most importantly, Heston’s interest in this flamboyant German dessert serves to remind us that it’s a classic because it’s actually pretty bloody delicious (no matter how it looks)!

Steal my rustic recipe here →

Luxurious chocolate mud cupcakes

4

Chocolate Mud Cupcake Luxurious chocolate mud cupcakes photoI am quite certain I am not alone in my obsession with cupcakes. Sweet, pretty and portion controlled (if you are able to stop at one, bah!); what’s not to love?

This recipe for chocolate mud cupcakes is a favourite in my ‘cupcake recipe arsenal’ (an obsession for the petit cakes surely demands that I possess a LOT more than one meagre recipe for them; especially when they are such a versatile baked good).

It’s a well-thumbed and batter-splattered recipe because it is quick and easy, uses few ingredients and produces insanely decadent and chocolatey (and very ‘grown-up’) cupcakes, which can be ‘dressed up’ (or down) depending on the occasion. It should be noted that to achieve a really rich, sophisticated chocolate cupcake, you need a rich, sophisticated chocolate. This doesn’t have to mean handing over lots of shiny pennies for artisan chocolate imported from a preeminent Parisian chocolatier (although that does sound delightful!). However, using a bittersweet chocolate, which has a high cocoa content of about 70%, will result in a richer cupcake (and a richer mousse topping).

Chocolateness notwithstanding, the main reason I find myself revisiting this recipe, time and time again, is because (unlike most cupcake recipes) it is suitable for people with gluten, wheat and dairy allergies and intolerances. It’s an all-round winner. Enjoy!

Steal the recipe here →