3 exciting ways to use hot cross buns, from dessert to salad

Tom Shingler

Having spent years immersed in the world of chefs and restaurants, head of food Tom loves nothing more than sharing the tips, tricks, hacks and secrets found in professional kitchens with home cooks eager to take their food to the next level.

Find more

A toasted hot cross bun spread thickly with butter is a beautiful thing, but head of food Tom Shingler has found more radical ways to use up Easter’s essential treats: in a treacle tart, a salad – and even forming the base of a mackerel sandwich (you need to try it!).

3 exciting ways to use hot cross buns, from dessert to salad

The dessert

Orange hot cross bun treacle tart
This tart amps up the sweetness with hot cross bun crumbs enriching the filling, which is bright with zest, juice and some punchy spices. Sharp crème fraîche on top cuts through the syrup wonderfully. The ideal Easter lunch dessert!

The salad

Pear and walnut salad with hot cross bun croutons
When you take the concept of a classic panzanella (Italian stale-bread salad) but use hot cross buns and the flavours of a waldorf salad, it creates an explosion of freshness. It’s packed with crunch, sweetness, savouriness and just the right amount of tang. It might sound odd but it works!

The sandwich

Hot cross bun ‘balik ekmek’
Inspired by Turkey’s balik ekmek, a grilled mackerel sandwich piled with plenty of fresh vegetables, this may sound mad on paper but marries together beautifully. The oily fish, crunchy peppers and sweet dressing all work well with sweet dried fruit and spices, both of which can be found in a hot cross bun. Using smoked mackerel and adding crème fraîche stops things getting too sweet and gives everything a mackerel pâté vibe.