tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post2943589900004048873..comments2024-03-28T03:35:30.109-07:00Comments on Catholic Cuisine: Hot Cross Buns for Good FridayJessica Gordonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11490685222802748332noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-10341408989417753262016-11-17T22:08:44.322-08:002016-11-17T22:08:44.322-08:00It is odd, but it's a really old custom of lon...It is odd, but it's a really old custom of long standing. So I really had to ponder what all those generations of people knew about fasting that I didn't. Did they have an understanding of fasting that was different from mine? Was their sensibility different from ours? And was there something valuable to be learned by following ancient custom instead of modifying it? I'm not sure I can exactly articulate what it is but after trying them on different days and then trying them on Good Friday, I found that there was something right about breaking the fast with something sweet. Fasting is meant to be mortification but it's not a repudiation of the goodness of food. And I think hot cross buns eaten after going to the celebration of the Lord's Passion help to remind me of the mystery of the cross, that it has a sweetness as well as a bitterness, that there's an element of celebration to Good Friday because we know that Jesus is risen and so there's a doubleness to our awareness: we fast because he died, but we break our fast with something sweet and symbolic, a bun marked with the very instrument of his passion, because we know that we are merely commemorating that death, that he hasn't died again. So our death to self in Lent is punctuated by the celebrations of the Eucharist every Sunday, and by the eating of hot cross buns on Good Friday, a mixture, a paradox, a mystery, a conundrum to be puzzled over. Why do we call this day Good? Why do we fast? Why do we kiss the cross? So many questions and I don't have all the answers, but the more I walk the path of the liturgical year, celebrating it with food, the more I find wisdom in these old customs and a sense to them, even if I can't quite put my finger on what it is. All I know is that somehow spiced buns remind me of the spices the women carried to the tomb, remind me of the hope of resurrection, remind me of the joy of our faith. And I love the delight with which my kids anticipate this custom every year and the way it connects us to Catholics of the past who also broke their fast with a spiced bun marked with the cross. Melanie Bettinellihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12557248434888642114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-54943405092922665412016-11-17T01:17:59.643-08:002016-11-17T01:17:59.643-08:00I've always found it odd that Hot Cross buns a...I've always found it odd that Hot Cross buns are served on Good Friday, which is a day of fasting, so I make mine instead for Passion Sunday.Dorishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07317188162958532705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-19931752296232124452016-03-28T12:04:57.115-07:002016-03-28T12:04:57.115-07:00Good point, except that the buns would be stale. Good point, except that the buns would be stale. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-87237985325238006432016-03-28T12:04:27.206-07:002016-03-28T12:04:27.206-07:00All of Lent should be penitential, so save the ici...All of Lent should be penitential, so save the icing for Easter Sunday.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-78606229751903945242014-04-21T08:54:43.300-07:002014-04-21T08:54:43.300-07:00I just checked the cookbook and the measurements m...I just checked the cookbook and the measurements match the post here. . . The recipe does say to "mix the milk with enough sugar so that the icing is not runny." but you are right, that would take a lot of extra sugar. I would probably start with the sugar and add milk until it is the consistency I want and then add enough rind to give it a nice taste, without adding too much. Jessica Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11490685222802748332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-91174123849795746902014-04-19T13:04:42.808-07:002014-04-19T13:04:42.808-07:00I'm trying this recipe out but am just wonderi...I'm trying this recipe out but am just wondering if there is a typo with the icing recipe. It seems pretty hard not to have runny icing when there is only twice as much sugar as milk. And would you add all of the rind of one lemon? Thanks!Maureenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12654773199335252614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-76817494652919433832013-04-03T09:52:56.534-07:002013-04-03T09:52:56.534-07:00No problem. I made these on Good Friday for the se...No problem. I made these on Good Friday for the second year in a row and my kids absolutely love them. Thanks so much for the recipe. Happy Easter.Melanie Bettinellihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12557248434888642114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-66725148873850611462013-04-02T22:57:29.417-07:002013-04-02T22:57:29.417-07:00Thank you Melanie and Anne-Marie! Yes it was a ty...Thank you Melanie and Anne-Marie! Yes it was a typo and I've updated the post. Sorry for any confusion... Happy Easter! Jessica Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11490685222802748332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-82383625879260271472013-03-24T11:34:25.460-07:002013-03-24T11:34:25.460-07:00I think it's a typo. I have the book from whi...I think it's a typo. I have the book from which this recipe is taken, and it tells you to mix 3 1/2 cups (not 2/3 cup) of flour with the spices.Anne-Marienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-56356799840647619442011-04-22T17:34:33.992-07:002011-04-22T17:34:33.992-07:00We just finished kneading the dough for these and ...We just finished kneading the dough for these and they smell delicious! I didn't read the comments first and was confused about the flour amounts...I just added enough to make what I thought was the right consistency in the dough...<br /><br />Thanks for the recipe!TheFiveDayshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03681462700484838941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-37923218475183454542011-04-22T07:56:18.239-07:002011-04-22T07:56:18.239-07:00Jessica, Thank you so much for this recipe. I just...Jessica, Thank you so much for this recipe. I just finished mixing these up. I did want to note that there's an omission in the directions. They only tell you to add 2/3 cups of flour and then 1/2 cup of flour. No directions on when to add the other 3 1/3 cups. You might want to edit that in.Melanie Bettinellihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12557248434888642114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-74545654289850282862011-04-21T22:43:03.280-07:002011-04-21T22:43:03.280-07:00I just made my Hot Cross Buns for tomorrow :).
...I just made my Hot Cross Buns for tomorrow :). <br /><br />http://thevolkswagon.blogspot.com/2011/04/hot-crossed-buns.htmlAlzbetahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02599175761449368133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-63041383608832005252010-04-01T11:04:03.087-07:002010-04-01T11:04:03.087-07:00I was just talking to my mom and she said my Grand...I was just talking to my mom and she said my Grandmother always made a flour and water dough cross on top of her Hot Cross Buns too. I think I may have to try that this year!Jessica Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11490685222802748332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-60019892834764129602009-04-11T09:22:00.000-07:002009-04-11T09:22:00.000-07:00We made these (in a muffin tin) and I went ahead a...We made these (in a muffin tin) and I went ahead and added the little bit of icing...when the kids asked about it (since we've been abstaining from sweets), I explained that the cross is sweet to us...and is why we call it GOOD Friday.<BR/><BR/>I was wondering how these were a traditional food, though, as I mixed in milk, butter, and eggs...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-22034389319438163832009-04-11T08:58:00.000-07:002009-04-11T08:58:00.000-07:00Ok -- I added pictures, but I think I need to keep...Ok -- I added pictures, but I think I need to keep practicing cutting the crosses into the dough! =)Jessica Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11490685222802748332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-58035323734699751512009-04-08T13:37:00.000-07:002009-04-08T13:37:00.000-07:00I really want to try making Hot Cross buns this ye...I really want to try making Hot Cross buns this year. <BR/><BR/>I looked up some more information on Hot Cross Buns, Jessica...I'll post a follow-up post to yours.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for posting!jen mackintoshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03342982894645134703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-5427065635587411852009-04-08T11:36:00.000-07:002009-04-08T11:36:00.000-07:00Appreciate having the info and recipe. Looking for...Appreciate having the info and recipe. Looking forward to a photo - though I think the illustration used is very cute!Mary Machadohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15546212539941937364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-84290886051071294642009-04-07T14:00:00.000-07:002009-04-07T14:00:00.000-07:00My understanding of this tradition was that they w...My understanding of this tradition was that they were made or sold on Good Friday, but were not eaten until Easter, as they were not Lenten foods and, until recently, Good Friday was a strict fast day.Ranee @ Arabian Knitshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14236731154217065518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864168283064539221.post-88678454863602999872009-04-07T06:18:00.000-07:002009-04-07T06:18:00.000-07:00Joanna Bogle on her EWTN series used a flour and w...Joanna Bogle on her EWTN series used a flour and water dough cross on top of her Hot Cross buns. I like the idea of scoring a cross and adding another on top. I didn't realize until this year that Hot Cross buns were eaten al Lent, but ALWAYS on Good Friday. So now I'm thinking icing cross every day BUT Good Friday?Jennifer Gregory Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03677077951743177153noreply@blogger.com