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It\u2019s no surprise that many coeliacs deeply miss baked goods. After her diagnosis, Melanie Persson, author of The Very Hungry Coeliac, spent years hunting down a gluten-free cinnamon scroll.<\/p>\n
\u201cFunnily enough, cinnamon rolls weren\u2019t even one of my favourite things when I could eat gluten, but when it was taken off the table, cravings for those soft, sweet rolls really kicked in and I couldn\u2019t find a good substitute anywhere,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
So, she took matters into her own hands. The challenge wasn\u2019t just getting the flavour right, but creating a sweet white bread dough that could be rolled and shaped with ease. <\/p>\n
![\"Melanie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/d0cf74a2126e311627f9a98b331f68d3256ef6d1.jpeg\")
Melanie Persson\u2019s gluten-free cinnamon scrolls. Ola O. Smit<\/p>\n
\u201cIt mimics \u2018normal\u2019 bread beautifully,\u201d Persson says. \u201cIt\u2019s soft, but it\u2019s also stretchy and has that slight chew. So many gluten-free bakes are crumbly, dense or cakey, and my cinnamon buns are none of those things!\u201d<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll find the recipe, plus more baked goods, in her second cookbook, Gluten Free Feasts<\/a>, which includes sweet and savoury recipes made for sharing. If you\u2019ve been craving croissants, scones, crumpets or hot cross buns, they\u2019re all in there too. <\/p>\n The cookbook also caters to coeliacs who miss their favourite takeaway dishes. Persson has devoted an entire chapter to Take Out Feasts, including a gluten-free spin on the Aussie-Chinese classic, sweet and sour pork. <\/p>\n \u201cIt is a staple for so many Aussie families, and to be able to experience that mouthful that\u2019s meaty, juicy, sweet and crunchy all at once? Heaven!\u201d<\/p>\n Here are two gluten-free recipes to try at home, plus a versatile flour blend that can be swapped into a wide range of your favourite recipes. <\/p>\n Cinnamon scrolls<\/p>\n This dough is versatile and works for lots of different recipes, both sweet and savoury, but these cinnamon rolls should definitely be the first thing you make. They\u2019re perfectly sweet and squishy and will be an excellent addition to your picnic spread.<\/p>\n INGREDIENTS<\/p>\n 200g warm water (37\u201340C is ideal) 1 tbsp instant dried yeast 60g caster sugar280g basic flour blend (recipe below), plus extra for dusting3\u00bd tsp psyllium husk powder1 tsp xanthan gum1 tsp gluten-free baking powder\u00bd tsp salt2 eggs40g butter, chilled and cubed vegetable oil, for greasing<\/p>\n For the filling<\/p>\n 140g soft light-brown sugar1\u00bd tbsp ground cinnamon\u00bc tsp salt85g unsalted butter, softened<\/p>\n For the cream cheese frosting<\/p>\n 25g unsalted butter120g cream cheese100g icing sugar, siftedpinch of salt\u00bc tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)<\/p>\n METHOD<\/p>\n Add the warm water to a medium jug or bowl, then mix in the yeast and 30g of the sugar. Cover and leave in a warm, draft-free place for 10 minutes until the yeast has \u201cbloomed\u201d, which means there is a thick layer of foam on the surface. (If a layer of foam has not formed, your yeast may not be active and the rolls will not rise properly.)Meanwhile, combine the flour, psyllium husk powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt and the remaining 30g sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk the egg into the water-yeast mixture, then pour this into the dry ingredients. Mix slowly (with the paddle attachment) until mostly combined, then mix vigorously (medium speed on a mixer) for 3\u20134 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice to ensure all the ingredients combine. Add the cubed butter and continue mixing on medium speed for 5\u20136 minutes, stopping two or three times to scrape down the sides of the bowl. When the dough is ready it will be very sticky but smooth, and you should be able to use a dough scraper or spatula to scrape it into a single ball. Grease a large bowl with vegetable oil, then gather the dough and transfer it. Shake and rotate the bowl a little to ensure the dough is a uniform ball, then flip it over. The aim is to have a smooth ball of dough that is greased all over, not to incorporate more fat into the dough, so try to avoid handling it and dimpling the dough with your fingers. Cover the bowl with cling film and place it in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour until doubled in size.Meanwhile, prepare the filling by mixing the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl and setting it aside. Line a 22cm square baking tin with baking paper. Grease your work surface and hands with a little vegetable oil, then tip out the dough. Knead the dough by hand for 30\u201340 seconds, removing the air bubbles, until it is a smooth ball. Dust the work surface and the dough quite generously with gluten-free flour, then roll it into a 40 \u00d7 30 cm rectangle, with a long side facing you.Spread the softened butter over the dough, doing your best not to pull the dough too much or rip holes in it (this is not difficult if the butter is softened). Leave a 2\u20133 cm strip unbuttered along the top edge of the dough but spread the butter right to the edges of the other three sides. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the butter in an even layer, then pat it gently into the butter. Starting with the edge closest to you, roll the dough up into a log. Do this as tightly as you can while avoiding stretching the dough (it is more delicate than a gluten-filled dough). Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the log into 9 equal portions, each about 4\u20135 cm wide (cutting them using floss or twine will create neater rolls, but it is not essential). Arrange them in the prepared baking tin, spaced slightly apart. Cover the tray first with cling film, then with a tea towel, and leave the buns to prove in a warm, draft-free place for 15\u201320 minutes, or until the buns have grown in size by about 75 per cent.Preheat the oven to 160C fan-forced (180C conventional). Bake the rolls for 35\u201340 minutes, until they\u2019re golden brown all over. Meanwhile, make the cream cheese frosting by whisking all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. Remove the rolls from the oven and allow them to cool in the tin for 25\u201330 minutes, then take them out of the tray (do this while the rolls are warm as the sugar will harden in the base of the tin as it cools, sticking the rolls in place). When the rolls have cooled completely, top them with the cream cheese frosting and serve. These will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1\u20132 days or in the freezer (unfrosted) for up to 2 months (simply reheat them in the microwave, then add the frosting once cool).<\/p>\n Makes 9 buns<\/p>\n This is the plain flour blend I use for most of my recipes. To convert this flour into a self-raising blend, simply add 1 teaspoon of gluten-free baking powder for every 100g of this mix (this is best added as needed on the day of baking). Note that all starches used in this blend should be very finely ground. <\/p>\n INGREDIENTS<\/p>\n Makes 1 kg <\/p>\n 315g rice flour250g tapioca starch250g gluten-free cornflour165g potato starch2 tbsp + 1 tsp xanthan gum<\/p>\n Makes 2 kg <\/p>\n 630g rice flour500g tapioca starch500g gluten-free cornflour 330g potato starch40g xanthan gum<\/p>\n METHOD<\/p>\n Sift the ingredients into a large bowl and mix until well combined. Sift and mix again to ensure the starches and xanthan gum have been evenly distributed into a homogenous flour blend. Store in an airtight container until you are ready to bake.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been making versions of this recipe for years, but have only recently perfected it! And it\u2019s using a technique popular in Chinese cooking but which can also level up many other dishes. It\u2019s called velveting, a marinating technique that helps to tenderise meat and keep it moist throughout the cooking process. The key is bicarbonate of soda. Including a small amount of bicarb soda in the marinade makes any meat incredibly succulent and flavourful. By having such tender meat inside a thin, crispy batter, you get the best of everything in terms of taste and texture.<\/p>\n INGREDIENTS<\/p>\n For the pork<\/p>\n 400g pork loin steak\u00bc tsp salt\u00bc tsp white pepper\u00bc tsp caster sugar1 tsp gluten-free Shaoxing rice wine (or other rice wine)\u00bc tsp bicarbonate of soda\u00bd tsp sesame oil1 tbsp gluten-free cornflour <\/p>\n For the sweet and sour sauce<\/p>\n \u00bd tbsp vegetable oil\u00bd onion, roughly chopped1 small carrot, peeled and roughly chopped1 small red capsicum, deseeded and roughly chopped125ml cold water3 tbsp rice vinegar3 tbsp tomato ketchup3 tbsp caster sugar1 tbsp runny honey\u00bc tsp salt, plus extra to taste150g fresh pineapple pieces1 tbsp gluten-free cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water to form a slurry<\/p>\n For the batter<\/p>\n 30g basic flour blend (recipe above)60g gluten-free cornflour \u00bd tsp salt\u00bc tsp white pepper\u00bc tsp gluten-free baking powder120ml water, chilled1 tsp gluten-free Shaoxing rice wine (or other rice wine)neutral oil, for frying<\/p>\n METHOD<\/p>\n To prepare the pork, trim away any excess fat, then slice into 2\u20133 cm pieces. Place the pork pieces in a bowl along with all the other marinade ingredients and use your hands to massage the marinade into the meat, ensuring each piece is well-coated. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 20\u201330 minutes.In the meantime, prepare the sauce. Add the oil to a medium saucepan set over medium heat, then add the onion, carrot and red capsicum. Cook for 2\u20133 minutes, stirring regularly, until the carrots begin to soften, then add the rest of the sauce ingredients (except the pineapple and cornflour slurry). Bring to a simmer. When the vegetables are tender, add the pineapple and the cornflour slurry. Stir to combine and allow the sauce to cook and thicken for another minute, or until the pineapple has heated through and there is no floury taste in the sauce. Set the saucepan aside. Fill a large, deep saucepan about one-third full with neutral oil and set it over medium-high heat. Check the oil temperature \u2013 when you\u2019re ready to fry it should be hot enough that a wooden chopstick or wooden spoon sizzles when dipped into the oil.For the batter, place the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Create a well in the centre and pour in the chilled water and rice wine, whisking constantly, until you have a smooth batter.Working with a handful of pork pieces at a time, transfer them from the marinade to the bowl of batter, ensuring each piece is well coated. Carefully lower the coated pork into the hot oil and fry in batches for 4 minutes, turning them regularly to encourage even browning. Transfer to the cooling rack.While the last batch of pork is cooking, place the sweet and sour sauce back over low heat and bring to a simmer. Working quickly, transfer the cooked, crunchy pork pieces to the saucepan and toss briefly to coat them evenly in sauce. Tip the pork, sauce and vegetables onto a platter and serve immediately.<\/p>\n Serves 4<\/p>\n This is an edited extract from Gluten-Free Feasts by Melanie Persson, published by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $45. Photography by Ola O. Smit.<\/p>\n Related Article The best recipes from Australia’s leading chefs straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n Sign up<\/a>Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Melanie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/763bdf0ab4c83b5ec07200e7e9c4e9f4dbbb0858.jpeg\")
Melanie Persson, aka The Very Hungry Coeliac. Ola O. Smit. Basic flour blend<\/p>\n![\"Sweet](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/664cb9fb7f458d405a048a810789c17e237df7e6.jpeg\")
Sweet and sour pork from Gluten Free Feasts by Melanie Persson. Ola O. SmitSweet and sour pork<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/546e33c88d49af0c8d4e5308dfa023b2902c1d805aaed36fdefd02a06aa34d55.jpeg\")
The Very Hungry Coeliac\u2019s Gluten Free Feasts by Melanie Persson.Ola O. Smit<\/p>\n![\"You](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0cd39de844af92d9a53562b90572e7f19b0fb4e5.jpeg\")
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