African Vanielje on Mar 13 2008 at 3:52 pm | Filed under: Easter, baking, bread
You may be forgiven for thinking that chocolate is my favourite part of Easter, but you’d be wrong. I love the acid green, I love the spring lamb, I love the Easter hunt and I love Hot Cross Buns.
When I was little my mom used to teach kindergarten. The owner of the kindergarten insisted that the little pickles called all the teachers by their surnames. Anyone who has read my profile knows my name is almost unpronounceable to the layman, but the enterprising 4 year olds in my mother’s care managed to come up with a suitable substitute. Mrs Hotcrossby she became, and stayed throughout her tenure at the school.
Easter never fails to remind me of this story, and it always makes me smile. Just like my mom, hot cross buns are an eagerly awaited treat, warm, spicy and comforting, with hidden treasures tucked inside.
This year I’ve made mine with a mix of nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and ginger, and filled them with precious snippets of sundried smyrna figs and my own organic candied lemon peel.
Toasted with butter or fresh from the oven with a wedge of mature cheddar, whichever way you eat them, give making your own a go! It’s easier than you think. So easy in fact that I am sharing with my neighbours and am considering setting up a production line. I’ll pay my helpers in product, and I’m sure there won’t be any grumbling.
If you are considering setting up your own production line, follow my Smyrna Fig and Lemon Peel Hot Cross Buns recipe, or check out the Vanielje Kitchen Cook Book (vkcb) for other recipes and tips.
Don’t forget to post your Apples & Thyme entries before 20th of the month. What did you do for easter in years past? Or on other family feast days. Chris from Mele Cotte is guest hosting this month so check the rules and regs here, and send your emails to her at melecotte(at)gmail(dot)com.
Also, you only have until the 19th to vote for me and others like Jeanne of Cooksister, or Charlotte’s Web in the South African Blog Awards. Thanks for all your support so far. If you haven’t voted yet, round up every email address you can lay your hands on and click on the SA Blog Awards voting icon in my sidebar.
Happy baking!
Yours look scrumptious. I hankering to bake and this will be it. I voted for you BTW.
So, I voted for you, Inge, will you send me some of those delicious looking buns please?
Courtney and Marye, thank you both. Buns are easy, I posted the recipe Marye which is the next best thing.
these are adorable! i don’t think i’ve ever eaten let alone made hot cross buns, but i’ve been seeing them everywhere for the past two weeks and now i really want to try.
Oooooh, home made hot cross buns! I’ve never been brave enough to try. Maybe next year…!
Inge, I am going to be in Cape Town for three weeks and want to pop past the deli to say hello. Please would you contact me by email so that we can talk more …
Charlotte’s last blog post..I’d Like to Thank My Mother