HOT CROSS BUNS
Hot cross buns are traditional Easter fare,
despite the fact they seem to appear on supermarket shelves earlier
every year, sometimes hot on the heels of Christmas! They sell like
proverbial ‘hot cakes’ in my local store. Hot cross buns are a
yeast-leavened sweet bread usually containing sultanas or currants and a
touch of spice (such as mixed spice, cinnamon or all spice), decorated
with a cross on top. The cross pattern is created with a paste of flour
and water and applied before baking. After baking they are usually
glazed with a sugar syrup to give them a shiny appearance. When eaten
warm straight out of the oven they are temptingly fragrant and divinely
delicious - some might even say eating them is a religious experience!
Hot cross buns contain a little fat from butter/shortening
(around 5%) and are high in carbohydrate so consideration is needed
around portion size for people with diabetes. Hot cross bun sizes vary a
lot. For example, one commercial variety sold in a 6 pack contains 40g
carbohydrate and 920 kJ (220 calories). They can be sold in smaller
sizes, for example mini-hot cross buns are divided into 9 buns instead
of 6 and this reduces the carbohydrate content to 22g and the energy
down to 500 kJ (120 calories). I use these mini buns for my son’s school
lunch box. You might guess that hot cross buns have a high GI but when
Sydney University GI Research Service (SUGiRS) tested one a few years
back it was 66 (medium). This is likely due to the dried fruit which has
a low GI; the same reason raisin toast tends to have a lower GI than
white or wholemeal bread.
There is a marketing trend to
play around with the basic recipe of hot cross buns, such as
fruit-free, gluten-free and more indulgent varieties such as chocolate
chip, caramel, mocha or brioche buns but be aware these can alter the
nutrition content in a less healthy direction. Unfortunately, higher
fibre wholemeal (wholewheat) varieties are rare - we can but ask our
local retailer. Or take the time to cook a batch ourselves over the
Easter holiday. Happy Easter!
Source: AusBrands2019
Nicole Senior is an Accredited Practising
Dietitian, author, consultant, cook and food enthusiast who strives to
make sense of nutrition science and delights in making healthy food
delicious.
Contact: You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or check out her website.
