Hot Cross Buns

Eggs, lamb, chocolate...these are the foods associated with Easter, but there are other foods that are traditional for Holy Week. Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday. A sweet yeast bread studded with raisins or currants, hot cross buns were common enough that they found their way into Mother Goose.

Hot-cross buns!

Hot-cross buns!

One a penny, two a penny,

Hot-cross buns!

If you have no daughters,

Give them to your sons;

One a penny, two a penny,

Hot-cross buns!

The cross on top of the buns is sometimes made by slashing the top of the uncooked dough or creating a flour paste, but for folks with a sweet(er) tooth, the cross can be made with icing. During her reign Elizabeth I of England proclaimed that hot cross buns could be sold only on Easter or Christmas. Anyone caught baking the buns on other days would be required to donate to the poor the buns or the money made from selling the buns.

If you don't have the time or inclination to make the buns from scratch (and there are many recipes online), thin about buying frozen bread dough and after the dough thaws, knead in the raisins or currants. Then form the buns. You can cut the cross into the top of the buns or use an icing recipe found online.

Picture from http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/2012/04/03/hot-cross-buns. A recipe for buns is found there. It is one of many recipes online.