Gluten-free fruit buns

It can be challenging for the at-home cook to make good quality gluten-free bread based goods. We’ve found this great packet product which we’ve adapted the basic method to make seriously good gluten-free fruit buns. Using this base packet mix allows for less variation than mixing your own flours when you are time poor. So yummy the gluten-free kids next door thought they looked like they had gluten! 

GLUTEN-FREE FRUIT BUNS

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 1hr 20 mins
Makes: 10 buns

Ingredients

Buns

• 1 packet 330g Simply Wize crusty bread mix* (includes yeast sachet)
• 400ml of lukewarm water
• 2 tbsp of caster sugar
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• ½ cup of currants
• ½ cup of sultanas
• ½ tsp of orange zest
• extra gluten free flour for dusting the benchtop

Glaze

• 100g of apricot jam
• 1 tablespoon of water

Method

1. Tip the yeast sachet into a bowl and pour over the 400ml of lukewarm water. Let stand for 2 minutes.
2. Place the bread mix and the sugar into your electric mixer bowl with a dough hook and add a tablespoon of olive oil and the yeast mix.
3. Mix for 1 minute on a low speed, scrape down sides and mix for another 3 minutes on medium to high.
4. Add fruit and zest, and mix on medium speed for another minute.
5. Scrape down the sides and make sure all the flour is incorporated. The mixture will be quite wet but that is fine.
6. Place the bowl in a warm, draught-free place (near a preheating oven) with a tea towel on top. It might be warm enough to just leave on the bench. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
7. Dust the bench top with gluten free flour, tip mixture on to the bench and, using a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut into 10 equal sized pieces.
8. Flour your hands and roll each piece into a ball. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Place about 2cm apart.
9. Cover with a damp tea towel and place in a warm place until they almost double in size (about 30–40 minutes).
10. About 10–15 minutes before they have finished rising, preheat the oven to 200ºC.
11. Place buns in the oven, and put a second baking tray below the buns with 2 ice cubes to create some steam in the oven. Bake buns for 20–25 minutes or until golden.
12. Remove from the oven. Combine apricot jam and water and heat in the microwave or on the stove for about 20 seconds to make the glaze.
13. While buns are still warm, brush the glaze onto the tops of the buns with a pastry brush.
14. Serve warm with butter.

Available in Woolworths, IGA supermarkets or online at simplywize.com.au.