Good Friday

There are special food associated with the celebration of Easter; fresh seasonal vegetables like lettuce, asparagus, spring onions, rhubarb, new potatoes and green peas fresh from the pods.  The new season of lamb, breads and cakes are a major category of food at Easter time. Good Friday commemorates the Last Supper and the beginning of the Easter celebrations; before Easter Sunday. It is the day that marks the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. The traditional food that is consumed on Good Friday is fish and to abstain from eating any other meat of any form or poultry as the preparation of these involves the slaughtering of animals and shedding of blood. It is presumed that the activity of any blood shed should be prohibited on this day as it is the day when Jesus’s blood was shed.  In some Christian homes there are traditional breads that are baked and served which is decorated on top with a symbol of a cross. The name of this type of bread are traditionally known as hot cross buns and are usually eaten on Good Friday; as the bread symbolises the Last Supper when Jesus shared bread with his disciples.  Hot cross buns are sweeter than normal bread as they are infused with currents and dried fruit.

The recipe for home-made hot cross buns

Ingredients for the buns

450g of plain flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of mixed spice, 50grams of salted butter, 75grams of mixed currants, 50grams of mixed peeled orange finely chopped, 1 ½ teaspoon of dried yeast, 100ml of warm water, 100ml of warm milk, 1 egg.

Ingredients to decorate the top of the buns

100g of plain flour with 3 tablespoons of water, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Firstly you have to sift the flour, salt, cinnamon and mixed spice into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the currants, mixed orange peel and yeast. Once it has all combined make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the water, milk and beaten egg. This has to be mixed all together to form sticky dough that now has to be kneaded on a clear and dry floured surface until it is smooth and elastic. Once the dough has been kneaded it has to be placed in a large bowl that is lightly greased with oil and then covered with a slightly damp tea towel. This would then be left in a warm place for approximately one hour to help the dough rise and double in value. After the dough has risen it has to be kneading out for a couple of minutes and divided into 12 equal-sized pieces and shaped into round buns. Place the buns onto a greased proof baking sheet, leaving equal space between each bun to rise. Place a clean tea-towel over the buns prior to oven baking for about 30 minutes to enable the buns to rise again.

Cooking the buns

Place the tray of buns in a preheated oven of about 200C and prepare to watch the buns start to rise. Whilst the buns are rising start preparing the ingredients for the decorations on top of the bun by rolling out the pastry and cutting into thin strips. Remove the buns from the oven and place the strips in the form of a cross on top of the buns, gently brush the top of the buns with the egg yolk and place back into the oven. Cook the buns for another 15 minutes until the top goes golden brown. Whilst the buns are still cooking, put the orange juice and sugar in a small heated saucepan and gently heat until the sugar has dissolved. Once the buns are removed from the oven, place them on a cooling rack and brush them with the glaze. The buns can been eaten warm or cooled with a spread of butter.