Did this recipe have you at “cheesy garlic”? It’s a delicious combination that makes these buns completely moreish. Serve them up hot while the cheese is still wonderfully gooey.
Makes approximately 18 buns
- 1¼ cups (205g) gluten-free self-raising flour
- 2 cups (250g) gluten-free cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2½ teaspoons salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon extra for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon xanthan gum
- 75g butter, melted, or 75ml light oil (eg sunflower, rice bran, canola, light olive oil)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1½ cups (375ml) full-cream milk (or non-dairy alternative)
- 1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder
- 1/2 cup (125ml) water
- 1½ teaspoons instant dried yeast
- 1/2 cup (50g) coarsely grated parmesan
- 2 cups (250g) coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
- 6 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 1/3 bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
Storage tip: These buns will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat before eating.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan-forced) with the oven rack positioned in the middle of the oven.
- Grease a 22.5 x 33 x 6cm baking dish and line it with baking paper.
- Sift the dry ingredients except the psyllium husk powder and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine.
- Whisk the butter, egg and milk together in a small bowl, then pour this mixture onto the sifted dry ingredients.
- Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low for 1 minute to combine, then increase the speed to medium and mix for a further 8 minutes to work the xanthan gum into the batter. Stir the psyllium and water together to form a slurry, add to the bowl with the yeast, parmesan, half the mozzarella, the garlic and the parsley and mix for 1 minute more. (Alternatively, mix the ingredients together in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer.)
- Leave the dough to sit for 5 minutes, then, using a ¹⁄3 cup spring-loaded ice-cream scoop, transfer slightly heaped scoops of dough into the prepared dish, keeping them 1cm apart, starting in one corner and working your way across the dish, repeating until it is full and there is no more batter to scoop. Leave in a warm, draught-free spot to prove for 30 minutes, until risen by a third.
- Once proved, scatter the extra salt and the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top, then transfer to the oven and bake for 40–45 minutes, until the buns are risen and golden, the cheese is well melted and the tops spring back when you press down gently on them with two fingers.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly for 2 minutes. Serve hot while the cheese is melted and gooey, with a little extra chopped parsley scattered over the top.
Tip: The salt sprinkled on with the cheese really helps bring out the flavours, so don’t be scared to add it. And feel free to use whichever cheeses you prefer – though try to stick to a combination of gooey and sharp flavour profiles.
Tip: If you’re not that keen on garlic, it’s fine to leave it out.
