Better late than never / myLot

United Kingdom

April 4, 2024 6:46am CST

If I see a tempting-looking recipe in a magazine I like to save it to try one day. I’ve been doing this for years and have built up quite a collection, and one of the recipes I had saved for future use was for hot cross buns (traditional British Easter treat). Of course these days hot cross buns are cheap to buy from a supermarket and available pretty much all year round, so there isn’t so much of an incentive, but when my partner reported that even the ‘extra special’ supermarket buns were not that tasty I thought I would finally dig that recipe out and give it a go. So it’s taken me years to get around to it, and yes Easter is over already, but I finally did it and they turned out pretty good. Will definitely make them again. All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2024.

24 people like this

23 responses

Anna

@LadyDuck (502148)

• Italy

4 Apr 24

Your hot cross buns look really good and "professional". I tried today a recipe that I have seen watching YouTube video, it's Greek and called Bougatsa. Well, not bad but I will not make it again.

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Anna

@LadyDuck (502148)

• Italy

4 Apr 24

@Fleura It was not difficult to make, as I bought the filo pastry sheets, but you need too much butter for the filo, not good for my husband.

2 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

4 Apr 24

@LadyDuck Filo pastry usually needs lots of butter doesn't it!

2 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

4 Apr 24

Oh thank you! They were not as round as they should have been but otherwise not bad. I haven't heard of Bougatsa before, it sounds interesting (I had to look it up and found this recipe ). I like the custard slices we get here, and I remember years ago I loved the similar thing found in what was then Yugoslavia, which also had raisins in.

Bougatsa - Crispy Filo Pastry Filled With Warm Custard Cream

realgreekrecipes.com

Bougatsa is a Greek pastry, served warm, drizzled with icing sugar and cinnamon. Crispy filo, filled with a runny custard cream, oozing out on every bite.

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MARILYN

@Marilynda1225 (91011)

• United States

4 Apr 24

Glad your hot cross buns came out good. They certainly look delicious! I also have a collection of recipes and will take them out periodically and browse through them. Then I put them away and think "one of these days" I"ll make one of them

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MARILYN

@Marilynda1225 (91011)

• United States

4 Apr 24

@Fleura it can be very hard trying to find something that everyone will eat. I had that challenge when my children were growing up.

3 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

4 Apr 24

@Marilynda1225 Little One is the real fuss-pot, we didn't do so badly until she came along. And my partner doesn't like certain things (like mushrooms).

3 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

4 Apr 24

Sometimes I feel as if we're eating the same old things over and over and really want a change. The problem is my fussy family!

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BarBaraPrz

@BarBaraPrz (51811)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

4 Apr 24

I know what you mean about supermarket hot cross buns. They're more like soft hamburger buns with a bit of spice and a couple of raisins, sometimes the crosses are icing. I don't bother with them any more.

3 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

4 Apr 24

They haven't started icing them yet, thankfully, but they have started making alternative versions, abominations like chocolate-orange and chilli and cheese

I mean there's nothing wrong with a chilli and cheese bun but it certainly isn't a hot cross bun!

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BarBaraPrz

@BarBaraPrz (51811)

• St. Catharines, Ontario

4 Apr 24

@Fleura That's for sure!

2 people like this

marguicha

@marguicha (230332)

• Chile

4 Apr 24

Congratulations! I used to keep recipes to try "some day". Now I don´t anymore. I choose what to give to my few visitors what they should eat, providing it is yummy besides being healthy. At this time of my life, many of my friends have diabetes (no sugar in my dishes) or high blood pressure (not too much salt). Others don´t like fat or meat. Your picture is tempting.

3 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

4 Apr 24

Cooking for other people is definitely more difficult than it used to be, don't you think?

2 people like this

jaishankar

@Shivram59 (50131)

• India

4 Apr 24

@Fleura I don't know how to cook or bake.And I eat just once a day.No breakfast;no lunch.Only dinner and that too very little.But the buns in the photo you have shared here look so yummy.Just mouth watering.

3 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

4 Apr 24

I'm impressed that you can manage on just one meal a day. Have you always lived that way?

3 people like this

jaishankar

@Shivram59 (50131)

• India

5 Apr 24

@Fleura I have been eating only once a day for last ten years or more.I don't know how it all happened.

2 people like this

Kitycat

@KityCat (7739)

• India

5 Apr 24

They turned out very good ! I usually take recipes from youtube mostly

3 people like this

snowy

@snowy22315 (208746)

• United States

4 Apr 24

That would be an interesting thing to make. I did not look for them this year

3 people like this

Max Crisp

@Orson_Kart (8250)

• United Kingdom

5 Apr 24

You’ve got lovely looking buns. They look soft and squidgy and I bet they taste delicious too.

I’m one of those people that can eat them at any time of year. I just don’t care.

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Max Crisp

@Orson_Kart (8250)

• United Kingdom

6 Apr 24

@Fleura Shame. Maybe you could make a bread and butter pudding out of them? It’s unfortunate baking ingredients often have a short life. I’m sure they’ll be better next time with fresh yeast.

2 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

7 Apr 24

@Orson_Kart Oh they were not that bad, we ate them all quickly enough!

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Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

6 Apr 24

Thank you

They were actually a bit on the solid side, I think they didn't rise as much as would have been optimal. Maybe I had kept the yeast too long, we haven't done any baking for a while.

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Judy Story

@jstory07 (148701)

• Roseburg, Oregon

8 Apr 24

Yes if it is good you should make them again.

2 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

8 Apr 24

Yes I will, maybe with some fresher yeast this time to see if I can make them a bit fluffier.

1 person likes this

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

4 Apr 24

I'm glad you made them, and they turned out well. It's always good to find a recipe that will become a favorite for years to come.

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Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

4 Apr 24

I will definitely make them again, but next time I will start in the morning!

3 people like this

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

4 Apr 24

@Fleura It's probably the best time to make them.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 24

They certainly look very professional. Good for you.

2 people like this

Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

6 Apr 24

Thank you! I didn't do so well at making them round but looks aren't everything, right?

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Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

6 Apr 24

@JudyEv I'll keep quiet next time! They taste fine.

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (381739)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Apr 24

@Fleura I had to go back and have another look! Perhaps you're right. You shouldn't have said anything.

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Dena Miller

@Dena91 (17029)

• United States

4 Apr 24

Yours turned out well. My Nana made them a time or two when I was a kid. Nothing better than homemade.

3 people like this

Hanni Harel

@Hannihar (130150)

• Israel

5 Apr 24

@Fleura There are times when if you can make yourself taste better. I have neither a stove or oven so if want dessert have to buy.

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Fleur

@Fleura (34927)

• United Kingdom

8 Apr 24

So what cooking facilities do you have?

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Hanni Harel

@Hannihar (130150)

• Israel

8 Apr 24

@Fleura I have a two burner ceramic thing I use to cook on.

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Marie Coyle

@MarieCoyle (59105)

•

5 Apr 24

Those hot cross buns look so good. I can close my eyes and taste one...yum.

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pumpkinjam

@pumpkinjam (8876)

• United Kingdom

5 Apr 24

They look good. I don't tend to read magazines but I had a recipe in a puzzle book (not somewhere I'd expect to find a recipe). I've not tried it yet but will give it a go. I think it's some sort of beef with orange sauce. I'm good with cooking but not so much with baking, although I do bake delicious samosas!

2 people like this

Amber

@AmbiePam (120533)

• United States

5 Apr 24

Julia mentioned hot cross buns last week, I think, and although it was not the first time I’d heard of them, the occurrence is rare. I’d love to try them someday.

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Polang

@tkonlinevn (6427)

• Vietnam

5 Apr 24

They look so delicious.

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besweet

@besweet (9831)

• Ireland

5 Apr 24

They look really good. Home made food has definitely less preservative and is healthier. I struggle to find bread without preservatives so I try to make my own when I can.

2 people like this