Bake hot cross buns with Dan Lepard, Mon 29 March, 10.30am to 12.30pm

[GeraldineMumsnet]

We're very glad that baker and food writer Dan Lepard is back for another Mumsnet webchat and bakealong on Monday 29 March from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

This time, as it's nearly Easter, Dan will be making hot cross buns. You can see his recipe for easy hot cross buns, plus lovely picture of a batch he made earlier here.

While Dan's (and your) buns are in the oven , he will answer questions and swap tips about baking, 1001 ways with yeast, and the like.

Please share a picture of the finished result on your profile, so we can all gawp in admiration.

If you don't have time to bake but still want to quiz Dan, please join us anyway.

And, of course, if you can't make it on Monday but have a question you'd like to ask Dan, please post it here.

[gillthepainter]

Paste made, inclusive of a little butter.
A tad thicker than double cream:

picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PJOhfXV2G_8hS_isO0odAQ?feat=directlink

[GeraldineMumsnet]

Dan just discovered he's forgotten his piping bag, so he's improvising with a small bin bag (snipped the corner off). Apparently small sandwich bags etc also work fine.

[MmeLindt]

I made a piping bag using greaseproof paper, like my mum used to. A bit messy, wish I had thought about the sandwich bags.

They are in oven now.

[hotcrossbunny]

Darn I missed it! And with my name there's no excuse Am posting to keep this in Threads I'm on so I can get baking this week.

[bebejones]

Have posted couple of pics to my profile! I used a small sandwich bag for piping as DH has tidied piping bag away somewhere!

[DanLepard]

Hands washed and clean now. Now having said all that about piping I looked in my bag and realised I'd left the piping bag and nozzle at home. So?tried snipping the end off a bag and found that the dough is toooo viscous and firm to pipe. So, having smeared the first two buns with paste and given up, I've resorted to a very old fashion way of making the cross and just cut into the top of each bun. I know, cutting a cross sounds a bit brutal and violent for good Friday buns, but perhaps apt.

[Slubberdegullion]

Mine are now in after proper rising time.

We are having them for lunch.

[bebejones]

My buns are less than perfect but isn't that half the charm of homemade ones?

[DanLepard]

bebejones, lovely pics and I think you've done a great job with the crosses.

[bebejones]

Can't find cooling rack...Must remind DH not to tidy my things in the kitchen!!

[DanLepard]

JackRabbitBauer, baking that's both Gluten Free and Dairy Free can be a challenge, If you can, try out some recipes before visiting your Mum - if you want to branch out beyond cakes, I have a good recipe for GF white bread at www.danlepard.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2454&hilit=gluten+free which you might try (using soya yoghurt and unsweetened soya milk in place of regular).

Where butter is called for in recipes, you'll need to substitute a dairy-free spread - maybe other people would like to say what they've used ?

I've written GF recipes you might like to adapt, such as Gluten-Free Walnut Chocolate Cookies www.danlepard.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2459&hilit=gluten+free; GF Lemon Banana Cake www.danlepard.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2447&hilit=gluten+free and if you use GF plain white flour and DF spread, try Macadamia fudge cake www.danlepard.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2566

Sorry I don't have a perfect GF and DF solution immediately to hand!

[HCBunBaker]

Just posting a link to the pics so far. Buns now proving.

gallery.me.com/ericahusain#100061&view=grid&bgcolor=black&sel=1

[MayOnnaise]

JackRabbitBauer, forget Oatly, duh, forgot that oats also have gluten in (can be tolerated by some coeliacs, but not all). Soya or rice milk will be your only alternatives.

[MmeLindt]

Buns finished, pics on Blog

Not as squishy as proper HCBs, presumably because I made them with wholemeal flour. Smell delish though.

[gillthepainter]

piped the paste using a bag, my pics so far are now on my profile here .

I'm popping them into the oven......

Your hotXbuns look wonderful bebejones.

[bebejones]

MmeLindt - Buns look fab!

Think I should have spent more time shaping mine as they look a bit lumpy!

[MmeLindt]

Bebejones
Yours look great. Lovely and squishy.

Neighbour just called, she is coming over for tea. Hope she likes HCBs.

Gill
You have to make your profile public.

[HCBunBaker]

Mme Lindt; lovely pics - hope mine turn out as good (long time to go yet - still an hour before the oven).

[DanLepard]

Finished, and they look and taste lovely - even with the cut crosses. We're just uploading twitpics now so you can see them. Thanks everyone for your tips and tricks, and for just getting into the spirit of it with such vigour. I'm off now, but will check back when I get home for any Q that I've missed. And will have a better look at your pics!
Dan

[GeraldineMumsnet]

Thanks Dan, and everybody who baked along and posted pix.

Scoffing the finished result - delicious

[gillthepainter]

Bye Dan, and thanks a million.

Silly me Mmd Lindt - should be visible now?
& Your hotXbuns look beautiful, I hope mine do as well.

Just going into the oven ..........

[bebejones]

Thanks Dan!

[MayOnnaise]

Mine are now out, and have posted them to Flickr set:

www.flickr.com/photos/55816924@N00/sets/72157623726439904/

[bebejones]

MayO - they look FAB!

[JackRabbitBauer]

Thanks dan, and Mayo, will make out a list and try and bake her something nice (that's not macarrons, which is all I normally manage)