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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Amy Martin

The hot cross buns that have Canberrans lining up at 6am

Easter: The surprising history of hot cross buns

Danny's Bakery in Narrabundah has been operating for about 35 years. And its sourdough hot cross buns have been there from the very beginning.

What's more, the starter used to make all of the sourdough coming out of the Canberra bakery is the same one owner Danny Collins has used for more than three decades.

"The recipe hasn't changed from the beginning. It's really old," Danny Collins' daughter and "bakery wrangler" Katie Collins says.

Katie Collins and some of Danny's Bakery's hot cross buns. Picture by Karleen Minney

"The icing sugar on top was mum's idea way back in the day. And it was literally because she didn't like bun wash, which is sugar and hot water. So she said, 'Why can't we just sprinkle it with icing sugar'? So dad said, 'OK'. And people liked it.

"They used to be all just icing sugar, but I now offer half and half because I get so many office workers, and they're like, 'I don't want the sugar. I'm on my way to work. I don't want to have it on my face'. But they're still the most popular, though."

When it comes to Canberra's hot cross bun scene, Danny's Bakery's creations are one of a kind. Not only are they the only sourdough hot cross buns in town, but their size puts the supermarket options to shame. Case and point: a packet of six weighs in at more than one kilogram.

Danny's Bakery has been making its hot cross buns since the 1980s. Picture by Karleen Minney

With stats like that, it's no surprise that come this time of year, Canberrans flock to the Narrabundah bakery to get their hands on the hot cross buns.

Last week, the store sold more than 600 buns a day. This week, it's expected to be even more.

Katie Collins and some of Danny's Bakery's hot cross buns. Picture by Karleen Minney

It's not unusual for people to be there at the 6am opening time, ready and waiting. Others keep an eye on the store's Facebook page to get regular updates as to when the hot cross buns come out of the oven. Unlike other places, Danny's bakers bake throughout the day, so you can always guarantee there will be something warm from the oven. Katie Collins says there is no better way to have them.

"The sourdough makes it a much heavier bun. So it's not the light, soft, fluffy bun that you're gonna get in the supermarket. It's a heavy, substantial bun," she says.

Justin Collins, Danny Collins' grandson, is one of the bakers at Danny's Bakery. Picture by Karleen Minney

"But on the other hand - and this is one of the things we're known for - our sourdough itself is quite light and it doesn't taste sour. We don't have that vinegar taste to it.

"The starter is over 30 years old. So it's mellow and because it's so mellow, the actual sourdough itself is mellow."

Everything at the bakery, including the hot cross buns, is handmade. There are no machines beyond an electric scale and an oven. Just good old-fashioned manpower and, apparently, that's the secret to good baking. Keep everything as simple as possible.

"Everything is done by hand and that's how dad taught all his boys to do the bread," Ms Collins says.

"He said, 'If you can't make something instantly by scratch with your own two hands, you're not a baker. You have to be able to do it with your hands'. And so they all know how to do everything from scratch."

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