Top bun: Easter treats put to the test
Tasters go hunting for their favourite hot, cross delights
Price isn’t really an indicator of a good hot cross bun. Taste tester Caitlin
Countdown Katikati store manager Chris Partridge is not a fan of raisins. But his staff are massive fans of the supermarket’s traditional hot cross buns, so everyday throughout Easter, they’re treated to a couple of trays in the lunch room.
Countdown’s traditional hot cross bun recently came first equal on Consumer NZ’s hot cross bun taste test competition.
Partridge is stoked about the result, of course, but can’t get past the raisin factor to give them a go.
“Ever since I was a kid, I couldn’t do it but I love the smell.
“Those fruitless ones are beautiful, to me.” Consumer NZ’s blind tastetested 11 classic and non-traditional hot cross buns from across New Zealand’s main supermarket chains.
Sharing the title of the best classic hot cross bun, FreshChoice hot cross buns (half a dozen for $4.99) and Countdown traditional hot cross buns (half a dozen for $3.50) were the clear crowd-pleasers.
The panel loved these two equally. The winning hot cross buns were described as traditional with a soft texture perfectly balanced with spice and fruit, that was warmed then slathered with butter.
“Dark and enticing. Good spice and got a nice chew going on. A whisky of a hot cross bun,” said taste tester Hamish, describing the FreshChoice hot cross buns.
“Tasty! Gentle spice, good texture. It tastes of Easter,” said taster tester
Caitlin on the winning Countdown buns.
“Price isn’t really an indicator of a good hot cross bun. The Countdown
one that took out top spot was the cheapest we tried.
“Other buns at similar price points were a mixed bag,” said Consumer NZ test content team leader James le Page.
Taste testers were scathing about some of the non-traditional offerings, calling them “imposter” hot cross buns.
Countdown’s Cookie Time smash choc cross buns (half a dozen for $8), was the only raisin-free option that scored well.
New World’s gooey peanut butter choc cross buns (half a dozen for $5.99) didn’t fare well with the panel, with what they described as an unusual flavour and texture combination.
Countdown’s other two nontraditional offerings, white chocolate and raspberry hot cross buns and chocolate orange hot cross buns (both half a dozen for $5.50) were both panned by the taste-testers, who were also upset with chocolate being added to hot cross buns.
Several years ago, brioche buns were introduced as an upgraded dough to hot cross buns, but the three options from Pak’nSave, New World and Countdown also didn’t rate highly with the testers.
They were described as underwhelming, bland and lacking spice, with a panelist stating that it “doesn’t even taste like a hot cross bun”.
“The panel has spoken,” James says.
“Traditional is the way to go. “Without spice, it doesn’t taste of Easter. Our advice: Get rid of all the imposters!”