Today is Corpus Christi in Trinidad and Tobago, a public holiday.
According to Gov.TT:
Corpus Christi is a long-standing tradition in our islands, going back to our pre-British occupation by the Catholic Spaniards. Though mainly observed by Roman Catholics, it is a designated public holiday. This special Feast Day is celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, in commemoration of the institution of the Holy Eucharist. The impressive processions that take place (the biggest is in front of the Cathedral on Independence Square in Port of Spain) give you just a glimpse into the sacredness and significance of the occasion.
As a result I thought now was as good a time as any to answer one reader’s request for a recipe for ‘real’ Trini hot cross buns.
Would you believe that I have never had a Trini hot cross bun? It’s the truth! You see, my only experience with hot cross buns was on an Easter holiday to England when I was around 9. They were much too sweet and doughy for my liking and not being an insider to many Catholic festivals when I returned home I never saw them (or wanted to see them) again.
However when Janice (the reader) described the Trini hot cross buns of her youth as ‘yellow’ I instantly thought of the golden yellow sugar buns that are standard in all Trini bakeries. If these were the basis for a Trini hot cross bun I was more than willing to give them a shot! I decided to look through the various local newspaper recipe booklets that my mother has held on to through the years for hot cross bun recipes and, fortunately, one of them was actually an Easter one!
Using the recipe in that supplement and a recipe in the Naparima Girls High School Cookbook, as well as my many ‘tastings’ of sugar buns, I finally arrived at the following. I left mine as normal ‘sugar buns’ but feel free to use the instructions and additional recipe ingredients to add the traditional cross-shaped decorations. LIght and fluffy with a thin ultra-sweet crust, my mother and I enjoyed them immensely. Several people have told me that they taste better than Linda’s (a large bakery chain) including a reader Gina ! 😯 I hope that you will like them too 🙂
Feel free to keep the recipe requests coming 🙂
Trinidad Sugar Buns/Hot Cross Buns
Recipe by: TriniGourmet.com
Makes 16 buns
INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp yeast
1 tsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm milk
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
4 tbsp margarine or butter
4 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp sultanas
2 tbsp currants
2 eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground turmeric or saffron powder
Glaze
Dissolve 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp hot water
Icing (if using)
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
4 tbsps milk or cream
pinch salt
1/4 tsp lime juice
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine first 4 ingredients.
2. Stand aside in a warm place for about 10-15 minutes
3. Sift flour, tumeric/saffron and salt in a large bowl and rub in the margarine or butter
4. Add sugar, vanilla essence, cinnamon to yeast mixture
5. Add the eggs to the yeast mixture, beating well after each addition
6. Add sultanas and currants to yeast mixture
7. Pour yeast mixture into flour mixture
8. Combine to create a soft dough
9. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes
10. Place in a greased bowl and turn over to grease the top
11. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour)
12. Punch the dough down and shape into 16 balls
13. Place on lightly greased baking sheets
14. Cover and let rise until doubled (20 – 30 minutes)
15. Using a sharp knife cut a cross or X on the top of each roll (if desired)
16. Bake at 375F for 12 to 15 minutes
17. Meanwhile make icing and glaze by combining the mentioned ingredients
18. When buns are baked, brush with glaze
19. Cool on racks
20. When cool, drizzle icing over the top of each roll following the lines of the cut cross (if using).
This post was first published June 7, 2007. It has been updated once since.
For more Caribbean recipes visit the Caribbean Cooking section of Veni Mangé – the Trinigourmet Amazon Bookstore! 🙂
Related posts:
- Coconut Rock Buns (recipe)
- Ciabatta Bread (recipe)
- Trinidad Pow (recipe)
- Trinidad Doubles (recipe)
FAQs
Spiced buns were banned when the English broke ties with the Catholic Church in the 16th century. However, by 1592, Queen Elizabeth I relented and granted permission for commercial bakers to produce the buns for funerals, Christmas, and Easter. Otherwise, they could be baked in homes.
How much sugar is there in a hot cross bun? ›
Table of Nutritional Information
| Typical Values | per 100g | per bun |
|---|
| Sugars | 17.2g | 12.0g |
| Starch | 33.8g | 23.7g |
| Fibre | 2.9g | 2.0g |
| Protein | 6.7g | 4.7g |
8 more rowsAdd the extra flour if required so the dough comes away from the bowl – the trick is to use the minimum to keep the dough soft so it rises easily (= fluffy buns), but just enough so the dough doesn't massively stick to your fingers (should be bit sticky though). Tough dough from too much flour = tough buns!
What does a traditional hot cross bun contain? ›
They're yeasted sweet buns filled with spices and various fruits such as currants, raisins, and/or candied citrus. They're decorated with a white cross representing the crucifix, either marked right into the dough or etched on top with icing. Hot cross buns are a traditional Easter food, typically eaten on Good Friday.
Why have hot cross buns? ›
They are symbolic of this significant day in the Christian faith when Jesus was crucified. Each bun is decorated with a cross made from flour paste, which represents the cross on which Christ died.
How unhealthy are hot cross buns? ›
Hot cross buns contain a little fat from butter/shortening (around 5%) and are high in carbohydrate so consideration is needed around portion size for people with diabetes. Hot cross bun sizes vary a lot. For example, one commercial variety sold in a 6 pack contains 40g carbohydrate and 920 kJ (220 calories).
Can Type 2 diabetics eat hot cross buns? ›
Diabetes charity Diabetes UK recommends eating Hot Cross Buns or a small piece of Simnel cake as an alternative treat, although some people with diabetes may consider these too high-carb/calories even for a treat.
Are hot cross buns healthy to eat? ›
Hot cross buns can be a good source of fibre and complex carbohydrates. They're kind of like having a piece of bread with a touch of added spice and sweetness. However, if you do want to eat one every day, there are a few things to keep in mind.
How much salt do you put in a hot cross bun? ›
Nutritional Information
| Typical Values | Per 100g | per bun |
|---|
| Sugars | 17.7g | 12.7g |
| Fibre | 2.3g | 1.7g |
| Protein | 6.9g | 5.0g |
| Salt | 0.53g | 0.38g |
6 more rowsYour dough can become sticky when you add too much water or the flour isn't suitable for the type of dough you are making. Over proofing or fermenting the dough can also result in the gluten structure weakening causing sticky dough.
Wheat. Wheat contains a protein called gluten, which may cause bloating, gas, stomach pain, and diarrhea for some people. Bread, pasta, and many baked goods contain gluten.
Why didn't my hot cross buns dough rise? ›
Also you need to leave enough time for the chilled dough to prove before baking, which can take longer than for a regular second prove as it needs to warm up enough for the yeast to become active again.
Can Muslims eat hot cross buns? ›
Your hot cross buns are made entirely out of vegetable products so there's no need for anyone to pray over the batter while the baker stirs in currants and citrus peel. The stamp on the package simply signals to Muslims that it's okay to eat those buns — not that someone prayed over them.
What country eats hot cross buns? ›
A hot cross bun is a spiced bun usually made with fruit, marked with a cross on the top, which has been traditionally eaten on Good Friday in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, India, Pakistan, Malta, United States and the Commonwealth Caribbean.
Do Germans eat hot cross buns? ›
The first year I lived overseas, in Germany, I was devastated to discover that they did not have hot cross buns at Easter time. But then I found they had something even better: Osterbrot. Translated directly: Easter bread — which is in essence, a giant hot cross bun.
When were hot cross buns banned? ›
In 1592, during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, the London Clerk of Markets issued a decree forbidding the sale of hot cross buns and other spiced breads, except at burials, on Good Friday, or at Christmas. The punishment for transgressing the decree was forfeiture of all the forbidden product to the poor.
Is it OK to eat hot cross buns before Easter? ›
According to tradition, hot cross buns should be eaten on Good Friday. Many believe that is because they are used to mark the end of Lent; since they contain dairy products, which are traditionally forbidden during Lent – it's a treat for all those who have passed the 40 days of sacrifice and fasting.
Can you get hot cross buns in USA? ›
Anyone who has browsed the aisles of a typical New York grocery store, will be familiar with boxed baked goods from Entenmann's. As Easter approaches, Entenmann's releases boxed hot cross buns. Check their store locator for a supplier near you.
According to 
, as well as my many ‘tastings’ of sugar buns, I finally arrived at the following. I left mine as normal ‘sugar buns’ but feel free to use the instructions and additional recipe ingredients to add the traditional cross-shaped decorations. LIght and fluffy with a thin ultra-sweet crust, my mother and I enjoyed them immensely. Several people have told me that they taste better than Linda’s (a large bakery chain) including a reader Gina ! 😯 I hope that you will like them too 🙂
