PURISTS believe they are the devil’s work.
But it’s become an annual event for manufacturers to try and cram as many bizarre ingredients into a hot cross bun as possible.
Lynsey Hope tests out all the wackiest hot cross buns[/caption]
From strawberries and clotted cream, to lemon curd or rhubarb and custard, 2025 certainly won’t disappoint those wanting to try something new.
But do they taste any good? And which are the best value?
Our reporter Lynsey Hope tries a range of wacky buns set to hit supermarket shelves this month and here she reveals her favourites…
No. 1 4 Belgian Chocolate Hot Cross Buns, £3 or 75p each at Waitrose
These were ‘incredibly rich and decadent’[/caption]
Per bun: 238 calories, 7.2g fat, 12.3g sugar, 0.4g salt
Lynsey says: “Incredibly rich and decadent, these Waitrose buns are made with Belgian chocolate, and the soft creamy flavour of the chocolate is delicious. They are VERY rich and even a chocoholic like me could only manage half. Considering the taste I would have expected the sugar content to be higher but they are high in salt, too. Expensive, more so than M&S. Best reserved as an occasional treat.”
Taste: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Overall: 6/10
Taste the Difference Lemon Curd and White Chocolate Hot Cross Buns, £1.80 for four or 45p each at Sainsbury’s
These have a ‘deliciously sweet tanginess’[/caption]
Per bun: 181 calories, 3.1g fat, 8.9g sugar, 0.31g salt
Lynsey says: “A returning favourite, the smell of the lemon really hits you when you open these buns and they really are a treat and a half. There are plenty of white chocolate chunks, the softest-brioche style dough and lemon curd, which gives them a deliciously sweet tanginess. One of my faves.”
Taste: 5/5
Value: 5/5
Overall: 9/10
Extremely Cheesy Hot Cross Buns, £2 for 4 or 50p each at M&S
These smell ‘just like cheese on toast’[/caption]
Per bun: 183 calories, 5.9g fat, 2g sugar, 0.66g salt
Lynsey says: “Don’t think of these as a hot cross bun – they are more like a soft cheesy roll and taste delicious toasted with Marmite or even a splodge of jam. If you generally like all things cheese, you’ll love them. They smell just like cheese on toast. These buns are 50p each so not the cheapest but for an afternoon pick me up, these were spot on. I’d definitely buy more.”
Taste: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Overall score: 8/10
No. 1 Apricot and Stem Ginger Hot Cross Buns, £3 for 4 or 75p each at Waitrose
These buns have a ‘nice spice and a generous helping of apricot pieces’[/caption]
Per bun: 197 calories, 1.7g fat, 18.2g sugar, 0.25g salt
Lynsey says: “These fancy Waitrose buns have a nice kick, probably from the stem ginger. They are made with a sourdough base which makes them more savoury than a lot of the wackier options. Plus, they have a nice spice and a generous helping of apricot pieces scattered through the dough. They are not the most calorific but they are higher in sugar than many of the buns in this test, probably helped by the dried fruit.”
Taste: 5/5
Value: 3/5
Overall score: 8/10
The Best Strawberries and Clotted Cream Hot Cross Buns, £1.45 for four or 36.2p each at Morrisons
These were yummy but could have done with more fruit[/caption]
Per bun: 185 calories, 4.5g fat, 9.8g sugar, 0.42g salt
Lynsey says: “Just like the other Morrisons entry, these are more bun than hot cross bun. The strawberry pieces inside are absolutely delicious, though I’d have liked more of them and there was a touch of white chocolate on the cross. Pretty yummy, but would have been better with more fruit.”
Taste: 4/5
Value: 5/5
Overall score: 9/10
Finest Rhubarb and Custard Hot Cross Buns, £1.80 for four or 45p each at Tesco
These are pretty but the dough is ‘not as soft as hoped’[/caption]
Per bun: 185 calories, 2.2g fat, 14.1g sugar, 0.36g salt
Lynsey says: “The most striking thing about these is the incredible pink colour, which definitely makes you want to give them a try. Sadly, I found them a little disappointing. The flavour was too bland and mainly what I could taste was vanilla. The dough was ok – it wasn’t dry but not as soft as I’d have hoped. They do look so pretty though and Tesco are offering some of the best value packs if you want to try some wacky flavours.”
Taste: 2/5
Value: 3/5
Overall score: 5/10
The Best Millionaire’s Hot Cross Buns, £1.80 for four or 45p each at Morrisons
Unfortunately these were ‘lacking in flavour’[/caption]
Per bun: 213 calories, 4.7g fat, 12.9g sugar, 0.44g salt
Lynsey says: “Loved the idea of these millionaires buns from Morrisons. The bun itself was more of a cake, similar in taste and texture to an iced bun and they looked appealing to eat with a lovely glaze. Each bun had Belgian milk chocolate and caramel flavoured fudge pieces scattered through the bun but mainly around the edges and hardly in the centre, which was a bit of a disappointment. This made them bland and lacking in flavour. Shame as in principle this is a great idea.”
Taste: 3/5
Value:
Overall score:
Extremely Chocolatey Hot Cross Buns, £2 for four or 50p each at M&S
The Extremely Chocolatey Hot Cross Buns are back again[/caption]
Per bun: 226 calories, 7.9g fat, 14.4g sugar, 0.29g salt
Lynsey says: “Chocoholics rejoice! These buns are back for another year and they are more chocolatey than ever. It’s like a chocolate cake that you can pop in the toaster and eat warm and actually, I found they were pretty delicious after a few seconds in the microwave too. They were a real hit with the kids and though the chocolate inside was gooey and delicious, they weren’t overly sickly. Will not disappoint.”
Taste: 5/5
Value: 5/5
Overall score: 10/10
