Not cross bun

A not cross bun is a variation on the hot cross bun. It uses the same ingredients but does not have a cross, rather some other type of piped decoration. The not cross bun was first sold commercially in 2013 by an Australian bakery, Sonoma Baking Company. Since this time Not Cross Buns are now made by many other bakeries across Australia

History

In many countries, large supermarkets are baking hot cross buns earlier and earlier, and there is evidence of a growing number of customers who are unhappy about the Easter tradition being taken advantage of commercially. The first known commercially sold not cross bun was baked in 2013 by Sonoma Baking Company who use an "S" in place of the traditional cross.

In 2015, the Baking Association of Australia and the Craft Bakers Association of Britain agreed that a respectful time for starting hot cross bun production was approximately six weeks prior to Easter Sunday.^[1] This timing roughly aligned with the traditional Lent period.

On Monday 21 December 2015, a public protest against the early sale of hot cross buns was held in Melbourne by bakers from across Australia and garnered significant media and public support.^[2] Not cross buns were handed out to help deliver the message to the supermarkets and would remain on sale in participating bakeries until six weeks prior to Easter.

Steve Plarre addresses the crowd backed by Victorian bakers

References