Hot Cross Buns

In continuation of our Spring/Easter theme....

What Easter would be complete without those warm, sweet and aptly named buns?

Here are some facts I bet you didn't know about Hot Cross Buns:

1. Apparently these little buns pre-date Christianity and were first consumed by the Saxons in honor of the goddess Eostre.  Easter, Eostre?  Hmmm.
2. Protestant England attempted to ban these buns as they were deemed dangerous reminders of Catholicism - the same dough was used to make the communion wafer.  The buns were too popular however, and Elizabeth I passed a law allowing bakers to sell them.
3. Hot Cross Buns baked on Good Friday will never get old - they will not get stale or moldy (currently testing this theory) and, as such, are said to have healing properties.
4. Sharing a bun with friends is said to ensure lasting friendship throughout the year.
5. Taking these buns on a ship journey is sure to prevent any shipwrecks.
6. Hanging a bun in the kitchen is suppose to prevent fire and ensure that all baked breads turn out amazing.
7. There is no name for them in Spanish. My dad suggests panecillos cruzados, but that just makes me think of baked buns on a crazed rampage.

Me thinks the Queen would approve.

And then, there's this:

Hot cross buns, hot cross buns,
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns.

If you have no daughter,
Give them to your sons,
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns.

Here's the recipe I used this year to make the buns. Instead of icing for the cross, the recipe called for pastry dough.  Yay for a recipe that requires twice the job!  But seriously, they're worth it, especially when they're toasted and smothered in butter.

Dark Chocolate Flan with Pepita Praline

Ok, so it's been a while since I last posted.  I've, um, been busy.

Anyway, in celebration of Easter - and seeing as I finally have some time on my hands - I decided to attempt my first Easter lunch.  And what Easter meal would be complete without chocolate?

In keeping with my Latina roots, I decided to go with a traditional dessert - flan made with bittersweet chocolate and chili. Ok, so maybe it was a traditionally inspired.

Milk and cream are slowly simmered with chili, anise, cinnamon and black peppercorns, allowed to sit for 30 minutes, and then simmered again. Dark chocolate is added once the milk mixture is off the fire.

Eggs and sugar are beaten 'til light and fluffy.  Milk mixutre is added to the eggs and then  drained through a very fine sieve into a candy coated pan.

Sugar coated pepitas anyone?

 The full recipe can be found here.