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A hot cross bun is a spiced bun, usually containing small pieces of raisins and marked with a cross on the top, traditionally eaten on Good Friday in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, India, Pakistan, Malta, United States, Argentina and the Commonwealth Caribbean.<ref name="Alexander2017">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They are available all year round in some countries, including the UK.<ref name="news.bbc.co.uk">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The bun marks the end of the season of Lent and different elements of the hot cross bun each have a specific meaning, such as the cross representing the crucifixion of Jesus, the spices inside signifying the spices used to embalm him and sometimes also orange peel reflecting the bitterness of his time on the cross.<ref name="TurnerTaylor1999">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Fakes1994">Template:Cite book</ref>
HistoryEdit
In the Christian tradition, the making of buns with a cross on them and consuming them after breaking the fast on Good Friday, along with "crying about 'Hot cross bunsTemplate:'", is done in order to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus.<ref name="Hatton">Template:Cite book</ref>
In 1592, during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, the London Clerk of Markets issued a decree forbidding the sale of spiced buns and other spiced breads, except at burials, on Good Friday, or at Christmas.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The punishment for transgressing the decree was forfeiture of all the forbidden product to the poor. As a result, hot cross buns at the time were primarily made in domestic kitchens. Further attempts to suppress the sale of these items outside of these holy days took place during the reign of James I of England (1603–1625).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The first definite record of hot cross buns comes from a London street cry: "Good Friday comes this month, the old woman runs. With one or two a penny hot cross buns", which appeared in Poor Robin's Almanac for 1733.<ref>Charles Hindley (2011). "A History of the Cries of London: Ancient and Modern". p. 218. Cambridge University Press,</ref> The line "One a penny, two a penny, hot cross-buns" appears in the English nursery rhyme "Hot Cross Buns" published in the London Chronicle for 2–4 June 1767.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Food historian Ivan Day states, "The buns were made in London during the 18th century. But when you start looking for records or recipes earlier than that, you hit nothing."<ref name="news.bbc.co.uk"/>
TraditionsEdit
English folklore includes many superstitions surrounding hot cross buns. One is that if the bun was made from dough kneaded for the host and baked and served on Good Friday, it would not spoil or grow mouldy during the subsequent year. Much the same was claimed for sacrificial bread in Classical times before Christianity.<ref>Brewer's Concise Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, Cassell Publishers, 1992, p. 151</ref> Another belief encourages keeping such a bun for medicinal purposes. A piece of it given to someone who is ill is said to help them recover.<ref name='practically'>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>
If taken on a sea voyage, hot cross buns are said to protect against shipwreck. If hung in the kitchen, they are said to protect against fire and ensure that all breads turn out perfectly. The hanging bun is replaced each year.<ref name="practically"/>
Other versionsEdit
In the United Kingdom, the major supermarkets produce variations on the traditional recipe such as toffee, orange-cranberry, salted caramel and chocolate, and apple-cinnamon.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In Australia, recent variations of the Hot Cross Bun by major supermarkets have included chocolate chip, sour cherry, burger sauce, Iced VoVo, Pizza Shapes, Vegemite and cheese, jalapeño and cheese, and others.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In Jamaica and some Commonwealth Caribbean islands, the hot cross bun has over time evolved into a spiced Easter bun with the addition of molasses, spices and a loaf shape.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This bun is eaten with cheese in islands such as Jamaica and Guyana and served with beverages such as mauby or ginger beer.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In Slovakia and in the Czech Republic, mazanec is a similar cake or sweet bread eaten at Easter. It often has a cross marked on top.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The crossEdit
The traditional method for making the cross on top of the bun is to use shortcrust pastry,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> though some 21st century recipes recommended a paste of flour and water.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
See alsoEdit
- Pesaha Appam
- Bath bun
- Fruit bun
- Sally Lunn bun
- List of British breads
- List of buns
- List of foods with religious symbolism
- Semla
ReferencesEdit
Template:Baked goods with religious iconography Template:British bread Template:Australian cuisine