Hot Crossed Buns

Please welcome guest author Garrett McCord, whose obsession with a nursery rhyme sent us on a quest for the perfect hot crossed bun. After several iterations (many eaten, many thrown out), and consultation with chefs, websites, and cookbooks (thank you Elizabeth David and Bernard Clayton), we finally hit gold with that one. (Though I could have done a little better frosting the ones in the photo.) Enjoy! ~Elise

As a child I learned the nursery rhyme “Hot Cross Buns” as part of my elementary school’s music curriculum. The entire class was taught to play in synch - as well as a thirty

six-year olds with no musical ability can - for the eventual school concert where our parents would attend and hope that their ears wouldn’t bleed from the sound of an apocalyptic whistle choir. As a curious kid I however tried to decipher the lyrics: What were hot cross buns? How come sons only get them whether there aren’t any daughters? And why are they priced one ‘ah penny, and two ‘ah penny? Who would just buy one when you can have two?!

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