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 think they are revolting things however the kids inhale them so I started making them myself. This is a tried, tested and approved recipe:
Hot Cross Buns Recipe - RecipeTin Eats

Yes, I have made them using a recipe from A Year of Family Recipes by Lesley Wild.

Great - thank you! I will give it a try

Where are you buying them from? I’ve had them from Tesco and M&S so far this year and not had any trouble cutting them in half to toast them! Do you use a sharp bread knife?

Have you tried this recipe in a bread maker by any chance? (obviously not the cooking part but to make the dough)

They’re one a penny, two a penny

I really like the M and S apple and cinnamon too. I like the flavour - not really appley, just less crunchy currants like dead flies.

I wondered about their cheese ones, which would obviously be something totally different but, as such, might work toasted.

My eyebrows did start to raise when I saw chocolate then .... red velvet!!

Has anyone braved these?

I make my own and annoyingly I don't enjoy shop ones anymore.

I’ve had the red velvet! I thought it was yummy. Tastes nothing like a traditional hot cross bun of course, but I enjoyed it. Had sort of melted white choc in the middle. Could eat another right now…

I saw matcha hot cross buns recently - now that is an abomination.

But you can still give em to your daughters and give em to your sons 😁

I think you are right that the wilder flavours have to be approached as something quite different.

The apple ones at M and S are, to me, still hot cross bun-like. I like the softness and I find they do toast up well. We pop them under a hot grill.

I love the Tesco ones tbf

Thanks for this - I'm not a confident baker but Ive always had luck with Nagi's recipes so might give it a go!

Yes - and sometimes the ones from bakeries are sourdough. I love sourdough bread, but a hot cross bun made that way is just heavy and damp.

They have to be light and fluffy I agree. Sainsbury’s bakery do a good multipack.

Yes I’ve found them soggy and doughy this year.

If you freeze hot cross buns they are much easier to slice in two and pop onto the toaster

I had Morrisons ones from the in store bakery they were ok. Bit crumbly is that a word?
But plenty of proper butter and cheese. Yummy.

I think the cheap ones are the best ones as they are usually just a basic hot cross bun. Stick in the airfryer for 5 minutes then add loads of butter. Perfect 😁

A hot cross bun purist should only eat them on Good Friday, so YANU for not following tradition/symbolism but then complaining that the products are not aligning to the tradition/symbolism.

I give you this unholy marriage - no doubt it will have to wait for the pic to load, but well worth waiting for

Oh no - they don't look very inviting - no wonder they were reduced! Have you seen the list of ingredients??

DH bought them to annoy me

I really like the marmite ones🙈 miss them

Demonstrably untrue - my kids have been cutting the Sainsbury’s taste the difference normal HCBs in half and toasting them for years and the last few months have been no exception, probably one or two a day go through our toaster. Or in the oven if we’re being fancy.

Also it’s outrageous that someone called Pistachio Tiramisu is criticising non standard flavours 😆😆 (sorry! I’m with you on the weird hot cross bun flavours - they’re all wrong and definitely shouldn’t be designated as hot cross buns even if they’re nice. And pistachio tiramisu is also quite nice)