Raw Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Hot cross buns are undoubtedly an Easter staple. Smothered in melting butter they’re the perfect, comforting, spicy treat.

To ensure you get your bun fix this year – without abandoning your clean eating regime – we’re sharing this raw hot cross buns recipe from The Hardihood’s cookbook, Raw Cake

Oozing with exactly the same crunch and flavors as the traditional hot cross bun that you know and love, these nutritionally balanced buns are bunderful.

Makes 6 buns

Ingredients

Buns

145g (1 cup) almonds

70g (1 cup) gluten-free oats

125g (1 cup) pitted dates, soaked for 5 minutes to soften

1/2 tsp vanilla powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 tbsp maca powder

Zest of 1 orange

3 generous pinches of Himalayan salt

120g (. cup) raisins

Cashew cream cross

195g (1 1/2 cups) cashews, soaked for 1–2 hours and drained

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp vanilla powder

3 tbsp rice malt syrup or alternative natural liquid sweetener

Method

Step 1: Preheat the oven to no higher than 42°C or to its lowest temperature.

Step 2: First, make the cashew cream. Blend all the ingredients in a high-powered blender – we used a Vitamix to get this ultra-smooth. Transfer the cream to a piping bag and put in the fridge to set for 2–3 hours.

Step 3: Meanwhile, make the buns. Blend all the ingredients, except the raisins, with 3 tablespoons of water in a high-powered food processor for 2–3 minutes until it becomes a doughlike consistency, then remove the dough from the bowl of the processor and knead in the raisins.

Step 4: Shape the dough into six balls and place on a baking sheet, spaced slightly apart, squashing them down slightly.

Step 5: Cut a cross shape into the top of each bun.

Step 6: Put the buns in the oven for 1 –2 hours to dehydrate.

Step 7: Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Step 8: Once cool, pipe the cashew cream into the cross indentations on top of the buns and eat!

Raw Cake by the Hardihood, published by Bluebird, is out now. £16.99 www.waterstones.com  $14.13 www.barnesandnoble.com

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