HCB review 2015 starts NOW
It's that time of year again!
This is the age of commercialisation of everything, where there are shelves of plastic junk for any festival (or corporate sponsorship of traditional festivals - seen the NRL Easter eggs out at the moment?) And though Easter eggs have been out since the Christmas stuff got packed away, I thought I would wait to the month before Easter to start my annual Hot Cross Bun (HCB) review.
I have been performing this "community service" for my friends on Facebook for the last few years. Last year I decided to store it on a blog. This year I am posting directly to the blog. I aim to review hot cross buns available to Sydney-siders so my friends can buy the best for the awesome 4 day weekend that is Easter.
And yes, it's an excuse to eat lots of HCBs.
I appreciate all recommendations and requests. And even the domestic HCB challenger (Mr Seeto)!!
However, due to the large variety of HCBs available, there are a few strict parameters to aid in my reviews:
* HCB's need to be available in Sydney (though I do travel. Check out last year's Melbourne reviews)
* Fruit buns only. No chocolate, mocha, vegan options. (though THESE look AWESOME!!)
* I account for the way the bun looks, tastes, softness, cost and re-heat-ability because I cannot eat a packet of 6 a day.
* Buns are scored out of 5 (no half points). Coles fruit buns are the baseline and scored 2/5
So, with the rules laid down, let's the games begin!!
HCB review #1 for 2015
Coles Hot Cross bun. The benchmark. 6 x $3.50. 2/5. This is a fairly attractive, super cheap and super soft bun. I like softness. I like glaze too. With a good amount of fruit and spice this is definitely not a bad bun to have to buy if you didn't make it to a better place earlier. A little more expensive than last year but for the price you can eat HCB's every day pretty guilt free (except maybe the calories.)
HCB review #2 for 2015
Tip Top Cafe Hot Cross Bun. $6 for 6. 1/5 Only buy this bun if the Coles ones have run out and there is seriously no other place to buy them that is open. Though, in all honesty, I wouldn't even buy them and just go home, sleep (as it must be 12 midnight if there is no other place open to find HCBs), and go back to the shops and buy another when they are restocked. These are not good looking bun, too dark in colour, with not enough fruit and way too much spice. They are dense and don't reheat well. And expensive. Not worth it. I would give it a half out of 5 if I gave out halves....
HCB review #3 for 2015
Rise Bake House Fruit bun. 6 x $5. 2/5 This is from a local place and the fruit buns are available all year round! They just get crosses at Easter. It's a soft white bun and a little too light in colour. It is also probably not enough fruit or spice or sweetness but they do reheat well. But I am putting it on par with Coles because I buy these every other time of year to serve my HCB addiction when Coles doesn't have theirs available!
This is the age of commercialisation of everything, where there are shelves of plastic junk for any festival (or corporate sponsorship of traditional festivals - seen the NRL Easter eggs out at the moment?) And though Easter eggs have been out since the Christmas stuff got packed away, I thought I would wait to the month before Easter to start my annual Hot Cross Bun (HCB) review.
I have been performing this "community service" for my friends on Facebook for the last few years. Last year I decided to store it on a blog. This year I am posting directly to the blog. I aim to review hot cross buns available to Sydney-siders so my friends can buy the best for the awesome 4 day weekend that is Easter.
And yes, it's an excuse to eat lots of HCBs.
I appreciate all recommendations and requests. And even the domestic HCB challenger (Mr Seeto)!!
However, due to the large variety of HCBs available, there are a few strict parameters to aid in my reviews:
* HCB's need to be available in Sydney (though I do travel. Check out last year's Melbourne reviews)
* Fruit buns only. No chocolate, mocha, vegan options. (though THESE look AWESOME!!)
* I account for the way the bun looks, tastes, softness, cost and re-heat-ability because I cannot eat a packet of 6 a day.
* Buns are scored out of 5 (no half points). Coles fruit buns are the baseline and scored 2/5
So, with the rules laid down, let's the games begin!!
HCB review #1 for 2015
Coles Hot Cross bun. The benchmark. 6 x $3.50. 2/5. This is a fairly attractive, super cheap and super soft bun. I like softness. I like glaze too. With a good amount of fruit and spice this is definitely not a bad bun to have to buy if you didn't make it to a better place earlier. A little more expensive than last year but for the price you can eat HCB's every day pretty guilt free (except maybe the calories.)
HCB review #2 for 2015
Tip Top Cafe Hot Cross Bun. $6 for 6. 1/5 Only buy this bun if the Coles ones have run out and there is seriously no other place to buy them that is open. Though, in all honesty, I wouldn't even buy them and just go home, sleep (as it must be 12 midnight if there is no other place open to find HCBs), and go back to the shops and buy another when they are restocked. These are not good looking bun, too dark in colour, with not enough fruit and way too much spice. They are dense and don't reheat well. And expensive. Not worth it. I would give it a half out of 5 if I gave out halves....
HCB review #3 for 2015
Rise Bake House Fruit bun. 6 x $5. 2/5 This is from a local place and the fruit buns are available all year round! They just get crosses at Easter. It's a soft white bun and a little too light in colour. It is also probably not enough fruit or spice or sweetness but they do reheat well. But I am putting it on par with Coles because I buy these every other time of year to serve my HCB addiction when Coles doesn't have theirs available!
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