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Hot Cross Bun Recommendations?


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Hi

Does anyone have any suggestions for great local Hot Cross Buns? I can't abide the super market versions. My daughter bought me some from Uprising Breads. I know it is a well respected local bakery, but I tend to find a lot of their stuff just a little too "healthy", if you know what I mean....

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I'm quite partial to those from Moore's Bakery in Kerrisdale. Nicely spiced dough, very traditional. You can probably find them at Stong's grocery on Dunbar too.

Terra bread's are very, very tasty, but don't quite hit the traditional note as well for me as Moore's do.

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Hi

Does anyone have any suggestions for great local Hot Cross Buns? I can't abide the super market versions. My daughter bought me some from Uprising Breads. I know it is a well respected local bakery, but I tend to find a lot of their stuff just a little too "healthy", if you know what I mean....

I love uprising .... There are not many as good...unless you make them yourself...two-day process.

Please Explain...I do not know what you mean.

There are just hotcross buns...too healthy?

Steve

Cook To Live; Live To Cook
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Although it seems a bit incongruous to find HCB at a Belgian bakery, you might want to try Patisserie Lebeau on 2nd just east of Burrard. When I went for my ham'n'cheese waffle fix last Sat, they had some HCB that looked amazing. Go early or call first as they sell out of everything (closed Sundays).

PS I know exactly what you mean about Uprising...

Edited by grayelf (log)
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Does anyone have any suggestions for great local Hot Cross Buns?

In the valley - check out "A Bread Affair" in Langley. They are perfect, exactly as they should be - the food of my youth.

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Ok - so I did a taste test between the Moore's Bakery HCBs and those from MacKinnon's, my local bakery on Granville St, which has been around for 82 years.

Moore's - Definitely the sweeter of the two, due to the light glaze on top, and chock full of raisin goodness.

MacKinnon's - Not as many raisins, closer to a savoury bun than a sweet bun. The cross on top was much more well-defined than the Moore's version. With the MacKinnon's HCB you could clearly taste the nutmeg and cinnamon in the mix - very much a traditional spiced bun. I could hardly taste the spices in the Moore's HCB.

For me it's a toss-up. They were both very good and gone in about 5 minutes. As a sweet pastry, I prefer Moore's. But I think MacKinnon's is closer to my perception of a traditional HCB, though recipes do vary widely.

Now it's time to start on my Moore's apple strudel! :wub:

健啖家(kentan-ka):A hearty eater

He was a wise man who invented beer." - Plato

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Wow! Thanks for all the recommendations. I tried Moore's and McKinnon's this weekend.

I liked how I was able to buy singles at Moore's. Their bun was okay, but not spectacular. Not enough raisins and it was hard to see the cross on them. I picked up a nice assortment of small dinner buns there though and tried their famous Bap buns which were very nice.

Mckinnon's bun was okay - a more defined cross and a good shape, small but high. I'm not fond of that died candied peel however.

What I meant by Uprising being too "healthy" is that while I love whole wheat breads generally, I don't really like whole wheat raisin breads and buns. They just never seem as good.

I will try to get to Terra Breads this week. Does anyone know if they sell their HCB's at Capers? I know I've had that wonderful Blueberry Focaccia bun at Capers that I'm sure is made by Terra.

I've had a tip to try the HCB's at Max's deli on Oak. I heard that is chock full of currants and raisins.

I've taken some pics and I will try to post all my trials later this week if I can figure out how to post pics.

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Well, I've tried a few more. Caper's bun is kind of ugly with a very wide undefined + on it. Not bad, not great.

I bought some more Uprising Buns there, though and liked them much better than the first time. I should have checked the expiry date on the first package because they had seemed quite dry. My second trial were not dry and I really enjoyed the mix of fruit - dates, apricots... and they look just like a HCB should!

The big surprise though were the buns from Max's. Very flavourful, the perfect amount of spice and lots and lots of raisins and currants. In fact, maybe there was even too much fruit if that is possible. I only say that because they were quite a bit flatter than the others that I tried. Maybe the raisins are weighing them down...? You can buy them by the 6 pack or individually and they are baked fresh every morning, no sitting on the shelves.

I still have to try the Terra bun before I can pick a winner.

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Well, it's been a bit of work but I must say that I'm getting pretty good at this whole computer thing for a 68 year old woman! I probably needed some work after eating all those buns!

I still can't figure out how to post the images in this topic, but I have made a public album. I have to apologize, I think I ate all the Uprising Buns before I could take any pictures! Ha Ha!

I did make it out to Terra - it took two trips because they were sold out the first time. Their version must be baked in a pan and then cut into squares. It is tasty but not a traditional dough at all and the very sweet, lemony icing makes it seem like more of a dessert than a bun.

I say that the winner has to be Max's Deli and Bakery on Oak and 15th. Their bun is loaded with raisins, currants and bits of undyed citron - moist and very flavourful. You can buy 6 packs for $4.49, I think the individual ones were .89. Uprising Bakery is my second choice.

They told me that they will have Paska at Max's this week. This is exciting news for a transplanted Ukranian Baba from the prairies!

2nd place in my HCB tour goes to Uprising Bakery, after all.

Take a look at the album and judge for yourself.

Got to get a second helping of Corned Beef and Cabbage - bye for now.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Adele,

I know it's a bit late in the game but The Sweet Obsession cafe at Trafalger and 16th makes an awesome hot cross brioche. You could phone them to see how much longer they are making them.

2611 16th Avenue West

Vancouver, BC V6K 3C2

(604) 739-0555

"I used to be Snow White, but I drifted."

--Mae West

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