The Mystery of Easter

You will be aware from previous blogs how "big" the holidays are here - Halloween was huge, in the shops weeks before and so much stuff it was incredible.  As soon as Halloween was over, the very next day, Christmas was in the shops.  Straight after Christmas we started with Valentines Day.  So you would assume from all of this that the retail world would take full advantage of Easter too but NO!

There is very little Easter regalia and no chocolate Easter eggs, you know the large hollow kind with the treats in the middle.  The only places I've even found anything Easter is at Walmart and Druggers Shop Mart (whoops Shoppers Drug Mart), where they had only a small selection.  I found chocolate bunnies, dogs, cars, chickens and even Dora the Explorer but no large chocolate eggs.

What's with this??  The only explanation I can offer is that it is a religious holiday and so therefore not commercialized as much as the others although last time I checked Christmas too is a religious holiday.

The other thing that I find hard to understand is that the schools get Good Friday and Easter Monday off but Andy only gets Good Friday.  The shops are closed today (Friday) and on Sunday.

I'm busy making Hot Cross Buns (gluten free of course).  I'm wondering how they will turn out because for some unfathomable reason my gluten free bread is nowhere near as good in Canada as it was in New Zealand.  With that in mind I'm posting the recipe below if anyone has a hankering for making them.

In other news, the weather here has been amazing.  We are expecting 25 degrees today and I'm being optimistic wearing my shorts - it's 11 now at 9.30am so here's hoping.

Andy started his new job at Mosaic this week and is loving it.  He's feeling challenged and excited about the work.  Good to see him so happy.  They seem to work long hours though so will have to keep an eye on that.

Yesterday Jenna and I went into Toronto on the subway to St Lawrence Market where she used to work (yes she's unemployed again but that's a whole other story).

Was a beautiful day so we decided to walk to the ribbon shop which Jenna said was about 10 minutes walk away.

I learned a very valuable lesson - never trust Jenna when she says something's 10 minutes walk.  40 minutes later, in the burning hot sun (me wearing my thermals, carrying my cashmere coat and a woollen jersey) we finally found the ribbon shop.  Of course, after I'd done my shopping we had to find our way back to the subway.  Needless to say that by the time we got home my feet were so sore I could hardly move.

In the evening we picked Andy up from work, got fish and chips and sat on the grass by the lake at our local park to eat them.  Was a beautiful evening.

Well, here's the recipe, I hope you like them.  I make them in the breadmaker but you could make them by hand if you wish.

GLUTEN FREE HOT CROSS BUNS

Ingredients:

1 egg

350ml warm water (may need a little more)

2 tablespoons oil

3 cups gluten free flour mix*

1½ tablespoons guar gum

½ cup buckwheat flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon active yeast

Add 15 minutes into mixing:

75g chopped peel

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon mixed spice

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup sultanas

½ cup currants

Crosses:

¼ cup gluten free flour mix*

Enough water to mix to a paste

2 tablespoons melted butter or dairy free spread (Olivani)

Glaze:

¼ cup sugar

2 tablespoons hot water

*2 parts rice flour, 1 part potato starch, 1 part tapioca flour

Place the ingredients into the breadmaker in the order listed.  Turn onto the dough cycle.  After 15 minutes of mixing add the fruit and spices and ensure they mix in well (I have to get in with a spatula and mix them in with my machine).  You may need to add a little more water to the mixture, it should be sticky and not lumpy.

When the dough is ready, turn out onto a well floured board.  With floured hands roll into a long sausage and cut into 12 pieces.  Roll each piece into a ball and place in a greased swiss roll tin. 

Put the flour for the crosses into a zip lock bag and add enough water to make a paste.  Squish it about a bit to ensure there are no lumps.  Snip off the corner of the bag and use it to pipe the crosses on.  Brush the tops of the buns with melted butter.

Leave to rise for 30 minutes (they should fill the tin).

Bake at 200ºC for 20 – 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and brush the glaze over the tops immediately.  Cover with a tea towel for 10 minutes.  Turn out onto a cooling rack.

Freeze well – especially if placed in freezer while still a little warm.