The hot cross buns at this Armidale bakery are a town favourite. What’s their secret? A wood-fire oven.
THE FRESHLY BAKED BUNS FROM THIS ORGANIC BAKERY IN ARMIDALE, NSW, ARE A HOT COMMODITY AT EASTER.
“It adds a bit of theatre I suppose, everyone is fascinated with the wood oven and asks lots of questions.”
IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO Easter, the aroma of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and roasted coffee greets customers as they step inside the Goldfish Bowl Bakery in Armidale. The drawcard at this time of year is the traditional hot cross buns, baked in a wood-fired oven, that literally fly out the door, still warm and freshly glazed. It’s a hectic period for owner Trent Rush as he, along with two other bakers and a school-aged apprentice, turn out a few thousand buns for Easter. The secret, Trent says, is sticking to a traditional recipe with the finest ingredients. “Easter is all about the hot cross buns, so we make sure we get the best quality organic currants and sultanas. Getting our spices right is important and then baking all through the day to keep them fresh and soft,” the 40-year-old explains. A career as a baker was an obvious choice for Trent — he grew up in Merriwa in the Upper Hunter Valley where his parents ran pubs and he was often in the kitchen lending a hand. “I was always going to be a chef or a baker,” he says. “I started, loved it and haven’t stopped since. I enjoy the end result, and the creativity is endless.” However, it’s not just the hot cross buns that keep customers coming through the doors at this café on Rusden Street — the bakery is known for its organic sourdough, croissants, Danish pastries and sweet goods, as well as coffee freshly roasted on site. There’s also a full breakfast and lunch menu
with seasonal local produce and every Friday, pizza is served from lunch through to dinner. The Coffs Harbour chilli prawn pizza is a popular choice, as is the tomato and bocconcini. Trent recently purchased the Alternate Root café at Uralla in a beautiful 100-year-old building with plans to develop another organic café and bakery using local produce, with the help of a team of about 40 people. He attributes much of the Goldfish Bowl Bakery’s success to the wood-fire oven he inherited when he purchased the business with his sister from Nick and Josh Oxley three years ago. After a 20-year career baking in conventional and gas ovens, it took time for Trent to learn its subtle nuances — but with the help of Nick and Josh he soon became a convert to the traditional method. “It creates a better crust and gives more lift to the bread because you have that instant heat,” he says. “We bake directly on the bricks so you get a nice pattern on the base and the wood-fire flavour really sets it apart.” The oven is lit at lunchtime each day and burns for the next nine hours or so until the door is closed, sending the heat deep into the bricks. When the bakers arrive at 3am the next morning, they adjust the temperature as needed, then bake up to 60 loaves at a time, as well as pastries throughout the morning using flour from an organic mill in nearby Gunnedah. “It adds a bit of theatre I suppose, everyone is fascinated with the wood oven and ask lots of questions. I love the interaction with the customers. People are amazed that everything we make in the store comes out of that oven.” A wheelbarrow load of wood a day keeps the fire burning and Trent has a network of farmers who keep him supplied with old wood palings or rails if they are pulling down a fence. “That’s part of the beauty of living in this community,” says Trent, who moved here 10 years ago from Newcastle with his children Brodie, 14, Dylan, 13 and 11-year-old Olivia. “If you need a hand there’s always someone around to help. It’s like a little town with big opportunities,” he says. “Armidale’s very welcoming and there are great education avenues. The kids can play any sport they wish and I don’t think there is a better spot to raise a family.” “It’s beautiful here in autumn and spring — the climate is amazing and we don’t get that hot in summer.” For the children, Easter Sunday begins with an “intense egg hunt” followed by pancakes and ice cream, drizzled with maple syrup. His extended family plan to visit this year, so it’s all about enjoying each other’s company and eating good food. “I’m looking forward to it,” Trent says, “a lot of people come back to town for Easter so it’s a bit of a reunion and a chance to catch up.” And will he be serving his hot cross buns at home? “Definitely! The kids inhale them with heaps of butter!” Trent says with a laugh. The Goldfish Bowl Bakery is open six days a week at 3/160 Rusden Street, Armidale, NSW. (02) 6771 5533. Follow @goldfishbowlbakery on Instagram.