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Grain-Free Hot Cross Muffins

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Ingredients

Units

Muffins:

  • 6 eggs, separated
  • 320g blanched almond meal (or other nut meal)
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 2 Tbsp Quirky Cooking Hot Cross Bun Spice Blend, OR
    • 1/2 tsp Wild Vanilla Powder or 1 tsp vanilla paste
    • 4 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
    • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp bicarb soda (baking soda)
  • 100g honey or pure maple syrup (or less, to taste)
  • 60g coconut milk (or preferred milk)
  • 60g coconut oil (or macadamia oil)
  • 100g sultanas
  • 100g currants

Marshmallow Crosses:

Glaze (optional):

  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

Thermomix method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180C and place muffin papers into muffin tins. (I use If You Care baking cups, as they don’t stick.)
  2. Prepare all your ingredients first, so that the egg whites are not sitting for too long after being whipped, or they will begin to separate.
  3. Place egg whites into clean Thermomix bowl, insert butterfly whisk, and mix for 4 mins/speed 4. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
  4. Place almond meal (or blanched almonds/nuts) into bowl and add salt, orange zest, vanilla bean, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and soda. Blend 20 sec/speed 9. Scrape down sides and lid of bowl.
  5. Add egg yolks, honey or syrup, milk and oil, and mix 30 sec/speed 6.
  6. Add sultanas and currants and a third of the beaten egg whites, and mix 30 sec/reverse/speed 3.
  7. Remove to a large mixing bowl. (Spin blades on bowl 2 sec/speed 9 to get all the batter off.)
  8. Carefully fold the remaining egg whites into the batter using a silicone spatula. Be very gentle, take your time, until all the egg white is mixed in. (If you mix instead of folding, the muffins won’t be as light and fluffy.)
  9. Three-quarters fill the muffin cases with batter. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
  10. If making the glaze, combine honey, water and cinnamon in Thermomix bowl and cook 2 mins/100C/speed 2, then brush over the warm muffins. Set aside to cool.
  11. If adding crosses, make the marshmallow mixture, then pipe crosses onto the cooled muffins. Place in a single layer in airtight containers and transfer to the fridge or freezer so the marshmallow sets firm. [Pour remaining marshmallow mixture into a lined dish and freeze or refrigerate to set.]

Conventional Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180C. Place muffin cases in the muffin tins and set aside.
  2. Place almond meal, salt, orange zest, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and bicarb soda into the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium speed until well combined.
  3. Add egg yolks, honey, milk and coconut or macadamia oil and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds, or until batter is smooth.
  4. Place egg whites in a clean, dry bowl and whisk on medium speed with the electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
  5. Add one-third of the whisked egg white to the batter with the sultanas and currants and mix on low speed for 30 seconds.
  6. Remove bowl from the mixer and carefully fold in the remaining whisked egg white using a silicone spatula until combined.
  7. Three-quarters fill the muffin cases with batter. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
  8. If making the glaze, combine honey, water and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until honey melts, then brush over the warm muffins. Set aside to cool.
  9. If adding crosses, make the marshmallow mixture, then pipe crosses onto the cooled muffins. Place in a single layer in airtight containers and transfer to the fridge or freezer so the marshmallow sets firm. [Pour remaining marshmallow mixture into a lined dish and freeze or refrigerate to set.]

Notes

Serving Suggestion:

Bake the day before to serve for breakfast on Good Friday, or just bake them anytime because they’re so yummy!

Storage:

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Variations:

Nut Free: Swap nut meal for pepita meal, use coconut oil or butter rather than macadamia oil.

Fruit Free: Sultanas and currants can be omitted or swapped for natural, dark chocolate chips. Orange zest can also be omitted, if desired.

Find it online: https://quirkycooking.com.au/2015/04/grain-free-hot-cross-muffins-gaps-friendly/