Product Name |
Hot Cross Buns (Half Dozen) |
|---|---|
Retail Price |
$14.00 |
Physical Availability |
All brick-and-mortar locations and markets, 3/18 - 3/31 |
Online Availability |
Preorders: Open on 3/7 at 9:00 AM and close 3/18 at 5:00 PM for Fulfillment Period of 3/23 - 3/31
On-Demand Delivery: Brick-and-Mortar Locations Only, Beginning 3/19 at 7:00 AM |
Catering Availability |
Not Available |
Allergens |
Wheat, Gluten, Dairy, Egg |
Minimum Production Time |
24 hours |
Our Hot Cross Buns are an old school interpretation on a holiday classic, made from a luxurious brioche dough that's rich with butter and eggs, ensuring a soft, tender crumb. Unlike conventional recipes adapted for the modern age, our buns are leavened naturally with Harriet, our sourdough starter, like the original Hot Cross Buns were made for hundreds of years. They feature a more nuanced flavor profile. This commitment to natural fermentation not only pays homage to age-old baking techniques, but also adds long fermentation to our process embedding in these buns the same nutritional benefits that all of our sourdough products feature.
The filling of our buns boasts currants soaked in a blend of brandy, honey, and orange juice, enriching them with a well-rounded, pleasant sweetness, a hint of tartness, and the brandy's distinctive oaky vanilla notes. The cross atop each bun, a practice dating back to the 12th century, symbolizes the end of Lent and intertwines the rich history of Hot Cross Buns with our modern interpretation. This blend of traditional baking practices, including the symbolic crosses, with high-quality, natural ingredients, creates a product that is not only delicious but also steeped in tradition and artisanal craftsmanship. These buns only come out for a few weeks each year.
Nutrition Facts
Ingredients in Order of Quantity:
- Organic Artisan Baker's Craft
- Butter (82% European Style Butter from US Foods)
- Whole Milk
- Egg
- Currants
- Harriet (Red Rose Artisan Flour, Water, Microbes)
- Red Rose Artisan Flour
- White Granulated Sugar
- Salt
- Orange Juice
- Brandy
- Honey
Product Characteristics
- Artisan Baker's Craft: Tailored for artisan bread with its blend of organic hard red wheat, this flour is perfect for long fermentation processes, ensuring dough stability and depth of flavor in the final product. It's organic, non-GMO, and crafted to support both the environment and superior baking results. This flour's lower enzymatic activity is key for maintaining dough integrity during extended fermentation periods, such as 24+ hours of cold bulk fermentation or over 14 hours of rest in cooler conditions post initial room temperature fermentation, ensuring superior texture and flavor in artisan breads.
- Butter: Adds richness, flavor, and tenderizes the crumb.
- Whole Milk: Contributes to the dough's hydration, enriches flavor, and aids in browning.
- Egg: Adds hydration, structure, richness, color, and leavening for a lighter texture.
- Currants: Adds a sweet, tangy flavor and chewy texture, enhanced by soaking in brandy, honey, and orange juice, enriching the bread's overall taste and texture profile.
- Brandy: Imparts a distinctive warm, aromatic flavor. All the alcohol is cooked off by the time the product is fully baked.
- Orange Juice: Adds acidity and sweetness to the currants, and a subtle citrus flavor.
- Honey: Rounds out any harsh flavors from the orange juice and the brandy in the soaking liquid.
- Packaging: 8" x 10" Cellophane Bag; this same bag was used to package our Brioche Rolls for the 2023 Holiday Season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is this product priced at $14? What makes it special?
- Quality of Ingredients: The product contains organic, non-GMO high-quality artisan flour and uses an 82% European-style butter that are both significantly more expensive than their mass-produced counterparts used in other bakeries.
- Quantity of Certain Ingredients: Almost the entire hydration of the dough consists of milk and eggs, and almost 14% of the final product consists of European-style butter.
- Specialty Ingredients: Ingredients like brandy, orange juice, honey, and currants make this product more costly to produce than the standard Brioche Rolls that we made during the holiday season.
- Labor-Intensive Workflows: Soaking the currants, preparing and dispensing the topping for the crosses, and giving time to let the product cool and packaging it.
Can this bread be frozen for later use?
- Yes! The product naturally freezes well, retaining its texture when thawed, and it also comes prepackaged in an airtight cellophane bag for easy storage.
How long does this bread stay fresh?
- The product has a sell-by date three days after baking, e.g. a product baked on 3/17 would have a date label of 3/19. However, given the large amount of butter and enrichments, the buns stay soft beyond that date for several days. Customers who wish to store these longer prior to consumption should consider freezing them in a standard freezer bag.
How should I serve it?
- Warm: Gently warm the rolls in the oven to enhance the bread's flavors and soften the crumb.
- Toasted: Serve toasted with butter or a drizzle of honey or with additional butter to complement the bread's rich flavors.
- Dessert or Breakfast: This product makes it a great option for a decadent breakfast or a dessert when paired with sweet spreads or cheeses.
