Hot crossed love turned to custard
The Daylight saving clock has changed, the leaves have fallen and thoughts are switching from balmy days to thermal underwear. One of the enduring consolations of the autumn season are Hot Cross Buns. Best eaten still oven warm and slathered in melting butter.
When it comes to our favourite fruit bun do you embrace innovation or stick with the traditional? Wellington cafe Sweet Release hit the news this week with their custard-filled offering – selling out within 45 minutes of opening up as well as additional batches made throughout the day.
What’s the ideal size? The Spinoff’s Madeleine Chapman reckons everywhere there’s hot cross buns the size of small cars being advertised for sale and asks when did hot cross buns get so tall? Hear me out: Hot cross buns are too big now
But what of the lesser supermarket bought variety. Can a decent supermarket bun be found?
Supermarket hot cross buns ranked
Consumer’s Hot Cross Bun winner
Doing the hard work that needs to be done, the team at Consumer have conducted a blind taste test to separate the delicious from the dreadful.
Buns were sorted into three categories – the classic, the brioche and the wildcards – and were judged on their appearance, taste and texture. Results were ranked in order from worst to best.
Sometimes it pays to be adventurous, and sometimes, usually always with hot cross buns, it pays to not. This certainly applies in the case of the truly scary sounding wildcard offering from New World: Gooey peanut butter choc cross buns, or White chocolate and fake-tasting raspberry jam hot cross buns from Countdown. Just no.
See here for for the full list of best and worst Supermarket hot cross buns ranked
Making your own
Feeling like a bit of trad home cookery? Check out the various spicy bun options from Nourish magazine, dig out your old Edmonds cookbook or head here to make your own.
Boozy buns? Do you go all Christmas care and slosh in some brandy? Here’s a gin-infused version to try:
Hot Cross Buns with Rum from Nourish magazine
