What has happened to Hot Cross Buns?

[PistachioTiramisu]

I remember when they used to be spicy, fluffy inside and toasted to perfection - you spread with butter and allowed it to melt - the result was a delicious thing! Now all the supermarkets seem to compete with each other for the most outlandish 'flavour' (most of which are horrible), and they are nasty, doughy, stretchy abominations which don't even toast properly! It seems only independent bakeries still make a traditional bun and these are hard to find.

I’m quite happy with the additional flavours.
Pretty much every single store will do the standard ones though.

I respect your liking for the additional flavours; however, my main annoyance is that they are so doughy and stretchy so you can't even cut them in half if you do want to toast them!

Didn’t like them. Worst tasted in ages and stuck to fingers.

I raise you:

Sainsbury's Carrot Cake (Limited Edition thank god)
Tesco Brown Butter & Chai Tea
M & S Tiramisu

I'm waiting for Smashed Kimchi...

I live abroad and can’t even get bad ones.

Anyone got a recipe for fully spiced ones. Will add saffron and orange zest. And double the sultanas.

My brothers owned a bakery and on Good Friday they would wash down the paving outside the shop with water and spices to entice people across the threshold. The hot cross buns were wonderful.

Agreed and tough to boot.

I am curious about the Gail’s ones which cost a fortune. Has anyone tried one?

Nothing wrong with Waitrose and M&S hot cross buns, although I have a bakery near me that bakes them fresh and they’re def the best.

I steer clear of new-fangled flavours.

I'm buying the rhubarb and ginger ones from Sainsbury's - and I don't even care

I used to live very close to a Gails, pretty much everything I tried was stale, low flavour and not worth the expense. One of the occasions I bought a selection of pastries for FIL and I to share after long, tedious hospital apts, we couldn't eat them. I would presume the HTC would be the same!

Coopland's bakers (mainly in Yorkshire but further North than Sheffield) are my favourite.

Glad it's not just me! They're probably all made in the same factory ;-)
Hope you feel better now and on the mend.

The problem with them putting more and more crap in the food, the less I buy them and make my own.
I'm going no UPF from now on. Tastes soooo much better. Real flavour again.

I was genuinely surprised not to see a Dubai chocolate hot cross bun anywhere this year.
This will trigger the Gail's haters but they do make a very consistent (expensive) HCB. I've had one this year and last and they aren't too sweet and have a lovely texture.

Mmmm! I love a flabby mint chocolate chip hot cross bun!

And they’re no longer one a penny, two a penny

I enjoy a hot cross bun and even some of the more recent flavour combinations but I’ll only buy from Sainsbury’s. The company I work for makes the Tesco, Morrisons, M&S and Lidl ones, I’ve seen what goes into them and how they’re made, I wouldn’t feed them to an animal.

I’m quite partial to Sainsbury’s chocolate and cherry hot cross buns

Not a very helpful answer.

@PistachioTiramisu Try Tesco's luxury hot cross buns. They're lovely. Traditional taste, good quality, lots of fruit. Cut them in half, and half bake them in the toaster, and get a cup of tea or coffee with it. Delicious! 😋

Booths make good old fashioned hot cross buns. Although I do like their cranberry and orange ones too.

You need to elaborate 🙀

Thanks - I'll give them a go!

Someone I knew years ago said same about the crisp factory she worked in as a student. She's never eaten crisps since. I presume most of our mass produced food is pretty gross, including the one who makes your Sains? Grins.

Those are absolutely awful, its one of my favourite flavour combos but nope