Hot Cross Buns

[sr.christinaosf]

Hot Cross Buns…One a Penny…Two a Penny

APRIL 6, 2017/OUR FRANCISCAN FIAT / EDIT

I went out shopping with Sr. Elaine last night to get yeast. I’m getting ready to make hot cross buns again this year. I hope and pray all goes well.

I thought I’d share a post this morning that I wrote a couple of years ago.  It includes some interesting details from the history of this Holy Week tradition.

Our Franciscan Fiat

I just finished mixing up my dough.  In the almost six years that I’ve been here at St. Anne’s, it’s become tradition that I make hot cross buns to serve for our residents’ snack on Holy Thursday afternoon.  Actually, they have traditionally been a food for Lent and Good Friday especially.  However, serving a special homemade treat seems more appropriate, to us here, for Holy Thursday rather than during the solemn fasting of Good Friday.  Also, Holy Thursday is the day we gratefully remember the first Eucharist, when Christ gave the “Bread from Heaven” for the first time.  To me, it seems fitting that residents enjoy these little breads on that day.

This time of the liturgical year is busy and a bit stressful since I serve as sacristan here, but I still like to take the time to make Hot Cross Buns.  It’s a kind of neat way of keeping our Catholic cultural…

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[DominicanHeart]

Are they like cinnamon buns?

[sr.christinaosf]

It's a "sweet dough" so its a little sweet with a little cinnamon and nutmeg, I believe.

[DominicanHeart]

Yum

[Sister Leticia]

Hot cross buns are an old English tradition. They are spicy - to symbolise the spices used to embalm Jesus and sweet, with raisins and currants, and have a pastry cross over the top. They were traditionally baked to be eaten on Good Friday, after the Passion, but are now available in shops and supermarkets even before Lent begins. In our communities we usually come home from the Passion and eat hot cross buns, and some parishes and chaplaincies will also offer them to worshippers.

Edited April 6, 2017 by Sister Leticia
typo

[sr.christinaosf]

We were wondering...do currants have seeds/pits?  I have been making the buns with just raisins but was wondering about using currants.

[Sister Leticia]

No, currants don't have seeds, the grapes used for them and raisins are seedless varieties (or at least, what we in the UK call currants, but I know in the US you have different meanings for the same words. By currants I mean small very dark dried grapes)

[TheLordsSouljah]

Just make sure you stack on the spices... then they should last at least till the third day 

[sr.christinaosf]

14 hours ago, Sister Leticia said:

No, currants don't have seeds, the grapes used for them and raisins are seedless varieties (or at least, what we in the UK call currants, but I know in the US you have different meanings for the same words. By currants I mean small very dark dried grapes)

Thanks - I think I'll just stick with raisins.  I sometimes soak them in apple juice to make them plump and tasty.

[Antigonos]

Better with rum, Sister Christina!

[vee]

7 hours ago, Antigonos said:

Better with rum, Sister Christina!

The raisins or the buns?  I vote both!  

[dominicansoul]

Here in Texas, we have our own grocery store chain, and it offers Hot Cross Buns.  I bought some, they tasted okay, but I'm sure Sr. Christina's has their's beat!  

 

 

[TheresaThoma]

Currants in the US do not have pits and are quite tasty. I suggest trying them.

[sr.christinaosf]

Too late for this year - we already made them.