A taste test of 25 novelty hot cross buns from UK supermarkets has found Waitrose's milk chocolate & fudge version among the best, while Iceland's 'luxury' offering was described as 'disgusting'. The buns, which now appear in shops from January, range from red velvet to tiramisu, a far cry from the traditional spiced fruit bun.
The test, which toasted and buttered each bun, used an M&S luxury fruited hot cross bun as a control. Waitrose's milk chocolate & fudge buns scored 7/10, with the reviewer praising their properly chocolatey flavour and delicate sweetness. At 50p per bun, they were also seen as good value. In contrast, Iceland's Luxury extremely chocolatey buns scored just 2/10, being dry, with a synthetic cocoa flavour.
Tesco Finest triple chocolate buns scored 4/10, with the reviewer warning they are messy in a toaster and too sweet. Lidl's Deluxe triple chocolate buns scored 5/10, noted as similar but better value. Waitrose No 1 Belgian chocolate buns also scored 5/10, described as tasting 'almost exactly' like a toasted chocolate muffin.
M&S red velvet filled buns, priced at £3.50 for four, were expected to be style over substance, with food reviewer Becca Stock saying they seem made for social media. She noted that 'every year they come out with bigger and wackier flavours'. Charles Banks of thefoodpeople said the trend appeals to those who dislike dried fruit, and that purist outrage only creates publicity.
Overall, the test suggests that while novelty buns can be enjoyable, they are best viewed as separate products rather than twists on the classic. The highest-scoring bun, Waitrose milk chocolate & fudge, proved that chocolate and a traditional bun base can work together, but many others fell short.
