Caramilk hot cross buns ⋆ tia's recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the issue with hot cross buns? ›

Iceland faces backlash after Christian symbol on hot cross buns replaced with ticks. Iceland is trialling a new kind of hot cross bun which has a tick on the top of it instead of the traditional cross. The supermarket faced controversy for the move on Tuesday, after it was accused of being offensive to Christians.

Toasted with butter: This is the classic way to eat hot cross buns. Simply slice the bun in half, toast it, and spread some butter on top. With jam or marmalade: If you like your buns sweeter, try spreading some jam or marmalade on top of the butter.

If you want to take out only a couple of buns at a time then freeze them in an airtight container with baking parchment (parchment paper) in between the layers of buns. The buns should defrost in 2-3 hours at room temperature and can be warmed in an oven preheated to 150C/fan 130/300F for about 5 minutes.

Spiced buns were banned when the English broke ties with the Catholic Church in the 16th century. However, by 1592, Queen Elizabeth I relented and granted permission for commercial bakers to produce the buns for funerals, Christmas, and Easter. Otherwise, they could be baked in homes.

In Ireland, the UK and as far abroad as New Zealand, Australia, Canada and India, Hot Cross Buns are eaten every Good Friday in Christian communities. They are symbolic of this significant day in the Christian faith when Jesus was crucified.

3. The French don't do hot cross buns. Toasted spiced buns studded with juicy raisins and oozing with butter, hot cross buns are an Easter treat that can be enjoyed in the weeks running up til Easter. But not in France.

While an average bun contains around 230 calories, there are healthier types. Good-quality, sourdough hot cross buns, purchased from health food shops and local grocery stores, contain healthier ingredients such as sultanas, currants and apricots and aren't filled with processed additives and preservatives.

In the lead up to Easter Sunday (Sunday, March 31st), you'll be stoked to learn several bakeries in New York–and further afield–are offering delicious hot cross buns (also known as “Easter buns”).

A hot cross bun is a spiced bun, usually containing small pieces of fruit and marked with a cross on the top, which has been traditionally eaten on Good Friday in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, India, Pakistan, Malta, United States and the Commonwealth Caribbean.

The term 'hot cross bun' wasn't entered in the Oxford Dictionary until 1733, since the bun was known by other names, including cross bun, spiced bun and Good Friday bun.

Can you eat a hot cross bun untoasted? ›

I think you can't beat hot, straight from the oven. But in saying that, the next day it definitely needs to be toasted. The most important part is the butter – I don't know how anyone could eat them without lashings of the stuff. Definitely toast and spread with lashings of butter, There's no other way, to be honest.

Hot Cross Buns Warming & Toasting Instructions

To warm or toast, it's recommended to slice them in half, and if your toaster is wide enough, you can toast them that way. Alternatively, the buns can be warmed in the oven set at 180. c -350. f for 5-6 minutes or until nicely toasted.

Store homemade hot cross buns in an airtight container in the pantry for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. If freezing, wrap hot cross buns individually in baking paper, so you can remove and thaw the portions you require.

But Iceland have stressed that they are not getting rid of their traditional hot cross buns. A spokesperson said: “We are not replacing or removing the cross from our traditional hot cross buns and they will always be available at our stores nationwide.

Customers have threatened to boycott Iceland after it ditched the cross from some of its buns. The supermarket is running the trial after research found a fifth of its customers would prefer the buns to have a tick, but the move has provoked anger among Christian groups.

The Greeks in the 6th century AD may have marked cakes with a cross. In the Christian tradition, the making of buns with a cross on them and consuming them after breaking the fast on Good Friday, along with "crying about 'Hot cross buns'", is done in order to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus.

Pagan origins

The origins of hot cross buns are shrouded in mystery, but historians believe they date back to the pagan traditions of ancient Britain. The Saxons used to bake buns marked with a cross during their spring celebrations to honour Eostre, the goddess of dawn and fertility.