Contributed by Gaye Whitmam from Sticky Mitts Kitchen
A Hot Cross Bun is a spiced sweet bun traditionally eaten only on Good Friday. The cross on the top symbolising the crucifixion.
The origins of the bun predate Christianity, however. The Saxons worshipped Eostre, from which we get our word “Easter” as the goddess of dawn and spring. Buns were made as an offering and were marked with a cross to represent the four phases of the moon.
Bread is sustenance, comfort, celebration and sacrament. All bread eating cultures throughout the ages have enhanced the specialness of bread through some form of enrichment to be enjoyed as special times of the year.
There is a lot of superstition surrounding the Hot Cross Bun. Some believed that they cemented friendship if you shared a bun with someone while saying “Half for you and half for me. Between us two shall goodwill be”. Others believed they would protected from shipwreck on a sea voyage and from fire in the kitchen.
Today the Hot Cross Bun is ubiquitous and available all year round in supermarkets. However no amount of spices and sugar can disguise the taste of preservatives, cheap fat and additives. There is no substitute for a homemade bun, hot out of the oven, toasted or made into the most amazing bread and butter pudding.
As buns stale quicker than loaves our “Special” for the rest of April is a Hot Cross Bun Loaf.
If you would like to learn how to make sweets buns yourself then why not book onto our Farm Baker’s next Bread Making Course on Saturday 25th April.