Hot Cross Buns

I had the fortune (or misfortune depending on your perspective) to attend an Anglican school where along with our regular subjects once a week we had a religion class.  I may not be a believer but I find religion very interesting, so I actually quite enjoyed learning about the bible for a couple of years, followed by having a smattering of information on various other religions (although I do doubt the school's sincerity in introducing us to other religions, I think Islam got as much attention as the Moonies and Jonestown). 

In fact my interest was such that one year I actually won the prize for religion in my year.  I think you could have knocked my parents over with a feather when I came home with that news.  I'm pretty sure I was also the reason the school stopped letting students pick their own book prize when I chose the Time-Life Book of Things That Never Were.  My teacher was slightly appalled, I thought it was very appropriate and it is a great book, I still have it.

While I have forgotten much of what I learned in religion (and in school for that matter) I did pick up a few nuggets of information along the way.  One of them is that in lent, you are meant to give up things.  I however, not being a Christian have instead chosen to adopt an extra thing in lent - hot cross buns.

Hot cross buns these days seem to make it into the shops even before new year's eve.  I love them but my mother taught me long ago that one of the things that keeps things special is scarcity, so instead of indulging from January, I wait for lent to tick over, then I get stuck in.  Only having them for a few weeks makes them that much more special and something I look forward to each year.

As I was away on holiday I missed pancake day and the start of lent, so today was my first hot cross bun.  I know there is much debate about who makes the best ones, I really like Woolworths ones!  They don't have mixed peel but they do have a good ratio of sultanas to bread.  And the cross isn't super hard.  However I'm always prepared to try a new one, so I may have to give a few different bakeries a go.

Mmmm, I have a delicious few weeks ahead!