To get around this, FoodTimeline explains that people baked the buns in their own kitchens-although if they were caught they had to give up all of the illegal buns on their premises to the poor. They were simply too special to be eaten any other day. In 1592, Queen Elizabeth I decreed that hot cross buns could no longer be sold on any day except for Good Friday, Christmas or for burials. A line from an old rhyme captures this lore, says Irish Central: 'Half for you and half for me, between us two, good luck shall be.' Those who share a hot cross bun are supposed to enjoy a strong friendship and bond for the next year. They're also said to prevent kitchen fires from breaking out, and ensure that all breads baked that year will turn out perfectly delicious. Likewise, taking hot cross buns on a voyage at sea endows the boat with some protection from shipwreck, according to legend. Later in the year, the buns were sometimes broken up, mixed with water and treated as a medicine, FoodTimeline reports.ĭue to the blessed cross on top, hot cross buns hung in the kitchen are supposed to protect from evil spirits. This harkens back to the body of Christ, which, according to the Bible, did not show any signs of decay after his crucifixion and prior to his resurrection. The bun should be replaced each year on Good Friday. If you hang a hot cross bun from your kitchen rafters on Good Friday, legend has it that the bread will remain fresh and mold-free throughout the entire year. Nowadays the cross might be made of chocolate icing or cream, but, traditionally, it is made of a simple dough or just a knife imprint. However, the first definite record of hot cross buns comes from a 16th and 17th century text stating: 'Good Friday comes this month, the old woman runs, with one or two a penny hot cross buns.' This monk baked the buns on Good Friday, in honor of the upcoming Easter holiday, IrishCentral reports, and they soon gained popularity around England as a symbol of the holiday weekend. Here are five favorites:Ī 12th-century monk was the first person to mark the bun with a cross. (Versions of the hot cross bun even appeared in ancient Greece.) Given the baked good's long history, legends and superstitions have had ample time to develop and grow around them. This time I used bread flour and they turned out so much better.Delicious hot cross buns-those doughy, raisin-studded delights-are traditionally eaten during Lent, especially in the week leading up to Easter. Marked with an icing or dough cross on top, they've been a holiday staple of some communities for centuries. For the first bake I used all-purpose flour and although they looked Easter-licious, something wasn’t quite right. This is the second batch I’ve made in the past month. In fact, as I’m writing this I can see four of them in front of me and I’m already thinking about breakfast. That’s the cool thing about baking and cooking – make it to suit yourself and you never know, you might just hit the jackpot! I eat these spicy buns with a slew of butter, sometimes toasted and always with coffee. Of course if you prefer to add chocolate chips or cherries, go ahead.

If it’s made with frosting I’ll steer clear of it.

Some plump sultanas and other raisins along with a heavy dose of spices is all I look for…wait I almost forgot to mention the cross. Hot Cross Buns are a spiced sweet bun made with currants or raisins that is marked with a cross on the top, traditionally eaten on Good Friday. I’ve been eating traditional hot cross buns since I was in diapers (almost). But sometimes recipes are better left alone they just can’t be topped, and for me hot cross buns fall into that category. Ingredients 4 teaspoon (14g) dry yeast 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar 1 cup (250g) warm milk 4 cup (600g) plain flour 1 teaspoon mixed spice 1 teaspoon ground. Easter, you’re up next! As the blog “seasons” fly past and my hair gets slightly grayer, I continue to try and come up with somewhat unique recipe posts. The PERFECT recipe for Easter!Ĭhristmas-check.

Traditional hot cross buns