Learn how to make gluten-free hot cross buns without using gluten-free premix flour and xanthan gum. The recipe uses commonly used and easy-to-find ingredients. The recipe is also dairy-free and vegan.
Get about 200 grams (about 7 oz) of potato or more if you don't mind some leftover. Peel the potato and cut them into small chunks, about 2 inches roughly. You can pressure cook the potatoes on high pressure for 5 minutes or steam them over high heat for 10 minutes. You can also boil them in a pot. Cover the potatoes with some water. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to let them simmer for 10-15 minutes or until you can easily mash with a fork. Drain off water and put the potatoes back in the pot to let them dry out a bit
Mash the potatoes while they are still warm. You want to make sure you mash them finely as we will use this in the dough
Prepare a dough "goop":
Get 30 grams (about 2 Tbsp) of tapioca starch and 30 grams (about 2 Tbsp) of milk and mix them to make a slurry. Set aside
Combine sugar, 40 grams (about 1/4 cup) of the potatoes, 90 grams (about 1/3 cup) of milk and oil in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and then turn off the heat. Add the tapioca slurry you make earlier and keep stirring to combine. Turn the heat back on low-medium and keep stirring until it thickens into like a goop. Remove from the heat and set aside to let it cool down until it is lukewarm (so we won't kill the yeast later)
Prepare the dough:
Combine yeast, rice flour, the spices, the lukewarm dough paste, salt, raisins (if using), and the rest of the milk and mashed potatoes. Knead into a dough. Divide into 12 equal pieces of smaller dough balls. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You can arrange them next to each other (they won't rise a whole lot)
Proof the dough:
Cover the shaped dough with a damp tea towel. I mist them with a bit of water. Let them proof at a warm place until the dough feels light and puffy. They won't double in size. It takes about 1 hour when I use my oven's bread proof function. It may take you longer if the temperature is lower
Bake:
10 minutes before the end of proofing, remove the dough from the oven if you use your oven to proof the bread. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) for a conventional oven. Put 2 cups of water in a heat-proof pan underneath the rack you are going to bake the buns. Let the water heat up together with the oven
Prepare the simple glaze by mixing sugar with hot water to dissolve the sugar. Set aside. You can also use apricot jam mixed with a bit of water
Mix the yolk with water to make an egg wash. Brush the top with the egg wash. Bake in the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately brush with the glaze. Let them cool down on the pan for about 10 minutes
Prepare the icing:
Put icing sugar in a bowl and start adding 1 teaspoon of water. The consistency should be thick but pipeable. Transfer to a plastic bag and then cut off the tip. Pipe a cross pattern on the top of each bun
Serve:
The buns are best served while they are still warm. Like many typical gluten-free bread/buns, they will harden once they cool down completely. Simply reheating for a few seconds in a microwave will soften them