This coming week I’m making hot cross buns, naturally leavened. If you think of sour flavors when you think of sourdough, these buns will disavow you of that notion. They benefit from a sourdough starter, but the added butter, sweetener, raisins, and spices balance the flavors beautifully! Hot cross buns have been a tradition during Holy Week for centuries, and I’m honored to carry it out here in Hillsdale. Here’s one historical take, if you’re interested in knowing more of the tradition.
Always available is my house sourdough. If you’re feeding extra people at Easter, this is a great loaf to have on hand. It makes a great french toast, or cubed and tossed into an egg bake, or sliced to go with all of those egg salad sandwiches. Have a few on hand for easy meals after an Easter feast!
I will only be baking on Thursday, but hot cross buns can be picked up on Thursday or Friday. One of the many benefits of sourdough is that it keeps exceptionally well! If you want to pick up on Friday, these buns will still be fresh and delicious. By Sunday, you may want to warm them a bit to soften them, but we’ve had them in a bread drawer here for nearly a week without a problem. They also freeze well, so bear that in mind if you’re looking to have some on hand for another time, or you want to freeze them until Sunday.
Please place your order by Tuesday, March 26th and indicate Thursday pickup at my home or the college (March 28th), or Friday pickup at my home (March 29th). Payment is with cash, check, or cashapp, or with credit card when you order.
Next week I will announce the baking lineup for April, and open April subscriptions! It’s going to be a great month of baking, with a few breads that are new(ish) to me. Thank you for being with me on this baking adventure. It’s a joy and a privilege for me to know that these breads end up on your tables!