Hot Cross Buns
“Hot cross buns. Hot cross buns. One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns” We have all grown-up listening to this song in our childhood. These buns are generally eaten on Good-Friday. They are rich sweet-spiced buns made of fruity dough with a Cross on top made of either dough/ icing. The buns mark the end of the Lenten season and each part of the bun has a religious meaning attached to it. Let’s delve into the history and traditions and maybe some myths associated with these buns, followed by the know-how of baking them.
Hot Cross Buns – The History | The Traditions | The Myths
History says, the Pagan Saxons ate cross-marked buns in honour of the Goddess of spring/ light, Eostre – believed to be the origin of the name Easter. The cross represented a few things viz. the rebirth of life after winter, the four quarters of the moon, the four seasons and also the spokes of the wheel of life.
For Christians, the cross on the bun reminded them of the crucifixion. And just like many other pre-christian traditions, this pagan meaning was replaced with a Christian one – the resurrection of Christ! Although, this story is believable, there is also another origin story which claims it was a Monk from the 12th Century, who was the first to mark the buns with a cross. If this story is to be believed, it was at St. Albans Abbey, in St. Albans, England where Br. Thomas Rodcliffe, baked this bun and distributed to the poor on Good Friday. These buns soon gained popularity across England as a symbol of the Easter weekend.
Irrespective of which of these stories is truly the origin story, it wasn’t until the late 16th century during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, that the buns were permanently associated with Christian traditions. These buns were deemed too special to be eaten on any day and hence the queen decreed that the buns could be sold only on Good Friday, Christmas or for Funerals. In trying to get around the law, people started baking these buns in their own kitchen. The ones who were caught baking them had to give up these “illegal” buns to the poor. But the buns kept gaining popularity and eventually it became difficult to enforce the law and hence the law was taken away.
Coming to the Christian Symbolism in the Hot Cross Buns – the bun/bread itself represents the Body of Christ, while the Cross represents the Crucifixion and the spices symbolise the spices used to embalm Christ at his burial. Just like the Body of Christ showed no signs of decay between his burial and resurrection, legend has it that Hot Cross Buns baked on Good Friday and hung from the kitchen rafters will remain fresh and mold-free throughout the year. So people would hang atleast one bun each year and replace it the next Good Friday.
Sometimes if needed, the bun would be broken mid-year, mixed with water and used as medicine. It’s also believed that these buns ward off evil spirits through the year, prevent kitchen fires from breaking-out and also ensure all breads baked in that kitchen in that year turn out absolutely delicious. Also seafarers would take these buns with them on a voyage at a sea to endow their boats with protection from shipwreck.
Connected to the kitchen rafter story, is also the legend of the Widow’s Son! In the early 1800’s in a cottage located in London’s East End lived a Widow. She baked Hot Cross Buns for her sailor son who was supposed to return from the sea on Good Friday. As fate would have it, the poor chap must have died at sea, but the widow refused to give up hope for his return and baked these buns every Good Friday and hanging them in her kitchen with the buns from previous years.
When she died, people found the buns hanging from the rafters of her cottage. A pub (The Widows Son) was built on that location in 1848 and the pub landlords kept the Widows story alive. To this day, on Good Friday, members of the Royal Navy, visit the Widow’s Son pub to celebrate the ceremony of the Widow’s Bun and place a new hot cross bun in a net hung above the bar.
My favourite Hot Cross Buns superstition/ myth is that it is believed to cement friendships. People who share a Hot Cross Bun are believed to enjoy a strong friendship throughout the year. This has been captured in a line from an old rhyme – “Half for you and half for me, between us two, good luck shall be.”
How To Make Hot Cross Buns
Just like any bread recipe, we begin by activating the yeast by mixing it with lukewarm milk and sugar in a large enough mixing bowl. Follow this with the addition of oil, eggs, all-purpose flour, lemon zest, salt, ground cinnamon, all-spice, nutmeg and clove. Using a Hand-mixer with dough attachment, mix all the ingredients on low speed until well combined and then increase the speed and knead the dough until elastic and smooth. Add the currants and candied peel and knead until combined well. Transfer the bowl onto a light oiled bowl and cover it and allow it to rise until it doubles in size.
Once the dough has doubled, transfer to a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into 12 pieces of even weight. Roll each piece into a bun with a smooth exterior, tucking in the ends at the bottom, creating a taut smooth round exterior. Place these rolled buns in a baking tray at equal distances. Cover them and let rise for about 40 mins.
Once risen, pipe the icing-sugar crosses on the Hot Cross Buns (if you wish, you can put the crosses after baking and glazing the buns. I prefer to do it before baking). Bake the buns in a pre-heated oven for about 30 mins until the top of the buns turn a rich golden brown. Take them out and while still hot, glaze them with the sugar syrup multiple times until the syrup is exhausted. Enjoy them hot!
Hot Cross Buns can be baked in advance and frozen. Allow them to defrost slowly and in they go into a hot oven for about 10 mins along with a bowl of water to add some moisture to the hot oven air. Whether it was for Estore or Easter, or to ward off evil spirits, to prevent from shipwrecks or to strengthen friendships – whatever be the reason, these Hot Cross Buns are absolutely enjoyable!
After baking the Hot Cross Buns, do try out the following recipes for Easter:
Sanna | Mutton Stew | Dukramass
Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 15 gms Active Dry Yeast
- 180 ml Milk, lukewarm
- 75 gms Sugar, Granulated
- 120 ml Vegetable Oil
- 3 Eggs, Large
- 600 gms All-purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Lemon zest
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
- ½ tsp All spice powder
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg powder
- ¼ tsp Clove powder
- 50 gms Dried currants
- 15 gms Candied Lemon Peel, diced
- 15 gms Candied Orange Peel, diced
For the Icing:
- 100 gms Icing sugar, sifted
- 20 ml Milk plus more if needed
For the Glaze:
- 100 gms Sugar
- 50 ml Water
- 5 ml Vanilla
Instructions
Making the Dough:
- Ina large enough mixing bowl, take the yeast, milk and sugar and allow the yeast to activate for about 10 minutes
- Follow this by adding the remaining ingredients, except the currants and candied peel
- Using a hand mixer with dough hook, mix the dough on low speed until all ingredients come together
- Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough until it is elastic and smooth
- Add the currants and the candied peel and knead until well combined
- Remove the bowl onto a light oiled bowl and cover it and allow it to rise until it doubles in size (about 90 mins)
Shaping the Buns:
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 12 pieces of even weight
- Roll each piece into a bun with a smooth exterior, tucking in the ends at the bottom
- Place them at equal distances in a baking pan/tray. Cover the buns and let them rise for about 40 mins
Making the Icing Cross: – see notes
- Mix together the icing sugar and the milk to a thick piping consistency
- Using a piping bag, pipe the crosses on the buns
Baking the Buns:
- While the buns are rising, preheat the oven to 175°C.
- Transfer the tray/ pan to the oven and bake the buns for about 30 mins, until the top is a rich golden brown
- Take them out of the Oven and glaze them while still hot, as explained below
Glazing the Buns:
- In a saucepan, simmer the Sugar, Water and Vanilla until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is syrupy
- Brush this syrup on top of the buns in multiple layers until the syrup is exhausted and allow the buns to cool completely before serving
Serving:
- Enjoy these buns as is, hot out of the oven
- After a few days when the buns are stale, toast them and serve with a dollop of butter
Notes
- The application of the crosses can be done either before baking or after baking and glazing the buns
- The buns will keep well for a couple of days in an airtight container or cling film
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Loved the recipe! Tried out hot cross buns for the first time, and they came out delicious.10/10 recommended 🔥
Thank you Neil for this lovely review. It is what makes all the effort worthwhile.