Hot Cross Buns

I tried making gluten-free hot cross buns and they raised well but didn't quite have the texture I was hoping for. They were edible, but not quite worthy of posting for Easter this year.

If you are interested in making hot cross buns, try using your favorite yeast roll recipe and add a little extra sugar and fat, some dried fruit (raisins, currents, dates) and your favorite spices (we like cinnamon and cardamom with a little nutmeg and allspice). I used muffin tins since that size works nice for us. Don't forget to brush the tops with a beaten egg before baking for that shiny appearance. And, of course, finish off with a cross of white icing (powdered sugar, water and vanilla, if desired).

Easter Traditions

Easter is just a week away. It's time to start planning food. Hot cross buns are a fun tradition. I don't have a gluten and dairy-free recipe yet, but plan to work on one this weekend.

And maybe some bright colored cookies. One of the challenges I wanted to work on was using various foods for natural food color. So, for the cookies, I'm going to try the following colors:

purple: blackberry with blueberry juice
pink: raspberry juice
orange: carrot juice
yellow: stale turmeric

This will be fun to try. I'll have to see how much I need. It could change the texture of the cookie. Beets and avocado also sound like interesting options for another time. What natural food colors have you made?