Traditional hot cross buns

The buns were judged on aroma — the pleasant aroma of spices associated with Easter — appearance, including the all-important cross, flavour and fruit.

1 WOOLWORTHS

6 Traditional Hot Cross Buns. R28.99

Katlego: Appearance is amazing. A little dense but not offensive. Really good. Megin: Striking appearance, fruit very visible, good glaze and mouth feel when eating.

Nti: Perfect round shape and appearance. The cross is white and clean. Balanced flavour, zesty, fruity and really good. I’m taking a batch home!

Wynand: Beautiful glaze, perfect centred crosses and super fragrant spice. Dough texture a bit dense.

2 CHECKERS

6 Traditional Hot Cross Buns, R15.99

Katlego: Tastes delicious, moist and yummy, but no aroma. I can’t smell the spices. The crosses aren’t straight.

Megin: Good cross, shiny. Fruits are visible. Good flavour, could have more spice.

Nti: Loving the glaze, the fruit is generous. Aromatic taste.

Wynand: Nice glaze, aroma could be improved with more spice. Beautiful selection of dried fruit, not just raisins. Soft bread-like texture that triggers Easter nostalgia.

3 SPAR

6 Traditional Hot Cross Buns, R24.99

Katlego: Aroma and texture good. No glaze, fruit distribution wasn’t good. Megin: Good colour, thin even crosses. No glaze, average fruit. Spice lavour not strong.

Nti: My mom makes better hot cross buns, the fruit distribution is not balanced.

Wynand: No glaze but prominent spice flavour, soft texture and good fruit content, well distributed.

4 PICK N PAY

6 Traditional Hot Cross Buns, R27.99

Katlego: No glaze, texture dry. I couldn’t smell spices, but plenty of raisins and orange zest which was bitter, including pith. It felt like I was eating a bread roll with fruit.

Megin: No distinctive flavour or taste of spice. Good crosses but no glaze.

Mix of fruit and zest which has pith.

Nti: Perfect crosses, chunks of orange peel. This is a very fruity bun but not a hot cross bun.

Wynand: No glaze, beautiful crosses although off-centre. Slightly dry and spices are missing. Tastes mainly of fruit.

5 FOOD LOVER’S MARKET

6 Traditional Hot Cross Buns, R16.99

Katlego: I had to search for raisins. Texture dry. It feels like bread dough. Megin: Fruit very sparse. Thick crosses, no glaze and very dry.

Nti: No glaze, a letdown and dry.

Wynand: Crosses look dismal. Short texture and dry. No glaze.