Isabel Pasch, Bread & Butter
With their popular Grey Lynn store a favourite of foodies, Bread & Butter’s hot cross buns are in demand in the lead up to Easter. Owner Isabel Pasch dusts off her apron and sits down with Canvas to discuss how to butter your buns to optimal effect, and why Westgold is the perfect choice.
What is unique or distinctive about Bread & Butter hot cross buns?
Like many of our breads and leavened products, we work with long fermentation times.
Our hot cross buns are made with a small amount of yeast and then fermented for 18 hours. This way they can develop flavour and texture more slowly, but still rise to their lovely pillowy best. We use a blend of spices, only organic and unsulphurised fruit and a burnt butter glaze on top.
Why is butter so important to making an exceptional hot cross bun? Do you use salted or unsalted in the baking process?
We try and make exceptional organic sourdough breads and beautiful buttery pastries, so of course we want to see our hot cross buns to be in the same league as our other baking. We source the best quality ingredients, with no additives or artificial alterations — and that’s one of the reasons we love Westgold. We always use unsalted butter in all our baking.
Do you have a special memory associated with hot cross buns?
In our second or third year here at Bread & Butter we had a power cut on the morning of the
Wednesday or Thursday before Easter. The mix for the hot cross buns, some 120kg, had just gone into the mixer, butter, eggs, milk, flour … everything. And then the power went off. We had no choice,but to knead the dough by hand!
What’s the best way to enjoy a Bread & Butter hot cross bun? Where are you and what are you drinking, doing, or thinking about when to make it an exceptional experience?
Just toasted with some butter — salted or unsalted, it’s your choice. I love them with a good cup of coffee or tea. My favourite thing to do is: on the weekend, when my family is still asleep (I am an early riser, who knew eh?) to get up, make a cup of tea and grab a baked treat and then settle into my sofa and read a good book or magazine. All quiet, all me, all bliss! Hot cross buns work perfectly for this.
When tucking in, what is the perfect butterto-bun ration and why? And should we be spreading salted or unsalted?
My mother used to have a saying that went:
“If you can still see the bread under the butter you haven’t got enough butter on it.” I like to cut a thin slice of butter (I like my butter cold) about the size of the hot cross bun, slap it onto my bun and then eat it before the butter is fully melted. For me, salted butter on a hot cross bun.
Why is Westgold perfect for buttering up your buns?
The creaminess and buttery taste just brings out the flavour of the buns perfectly!
Pick up a slab of Westgold butter (we recommend salted) at your local store, and then head to Ima or Bread and Butter for some fresh hot cross buns.
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