So, Hot Cross Buns, do you prefer them au naturel or toasted? If toasted, then toasted both sides, or just the cut side?
Then there is the "traditional" style or other, for example I saw apple and cinnamon ones on offer in Lidl
What are your thoughts?
PS Have just eaten a traditional one, untoasted, and yes, I know that strictly speaking it's too early, but they were on the counter at the village shop..............
I had to pop into town and buy some at lunch time, as I realised that we didn’t have any for tomorrow's breakfast. (With marmalade for me). I prefer the traditional ones, no fancy twiddles added. Years ago I tried making some, they were awful, so now it is the easy option.
DH reminisced about when he used to walk down to the local baker's where we lived years ago to bring back a paper bag of hot cross buns fresh from the oven. It was the only shop in the village which was open on Good Friday.
In the interests of research we bought some from M&S and another batch from Tesco (Finest) today. Normally we don't eat any until Good Friday but because this was research, we tried the M&S ones today with butter. Very good We'll try the Tesco ones tomorrow Then perhaps see if Lidl and Waitrose have any left on Saturday
There's nothing like a home-made one fresh from the oven though
I remember when the only shop in our village, open on Good Friday, was the baker. And only for hot cross buns. That made them special. As a young mum I made some hot cross buns. DH said we could cobble the road with them. ?
Remember as a child being sent off to queue for them on Maundy Thursday. Then made my own every day from Jane Grigson’s English Food. My pastry crosses became a family joke because either narrow and rather wonky or so broad they covered half the bun.
Years ago we were on holiday in Wales with our young DC over Easter. On Good Friday we were in Carnarvon, and we saw a huge queue outside a small baker's shop. On enquiry, I discovered that the baker only produced HCBs on Good Friday - to a recipe that had been in his family for many years... I bit the bullet and queued while DH took the DC off for an hour - coming out with a bag containing 2 warm buns for each of us. We said we'd have one now and take the other back to eat later -- then we sat on a bench and ate the lot..!! That was about 35 years ago - and we all still agree that no hot cross bun has come anywhere near them - one of our happiest (& strongest) holiday memories..!
I've never seen anything but traditional sort, and I usually only buy them for Good Friday and Easter. I think they were meant to be a treat for after Lent, although I am not really religious.
Cut it half, toasted on the cut side, with butter... oh yummy!
Love hot cross buns and will eat them hot or cold. Left overs are great made into bread and butter pudding using the buns instead of plain bread. Lovely ?
Cut in half, toasted in the toaster and spread with decent local butter (if possible) I make them myself as I don't like sultanas, raisins or mixed peel not any of the ridiculous varieties such as choc chip or cinnamon and apple. Currants only.
I make hot cross buns all year round, as they are a family favourite. I have them with butter on the day I make them and toasted on the cut side the following day.