text: Who doesn’t love a hot cross bun at Easter? In Britain we so enjoy the spiced, sweet rolls with a cross on top, that they used to be eaten all year round. That was until Queen Elizabeth I tried to ban them, possibly finding the cross a little too Catholic. The move was greeted with uproar, so she compromised, saying they could only be sold on Good Friday, at Christmas and for burials — and they have been prime Easter fare ever since. Nowadays supermarkets bring out ever more permutations to tempt customers, from miniature sizes to new flavours like toffee fudge chunk and apple and cinnamon. Here is best of the batch this Easter. Harriet Arkell (pictured) has tested out the best hot cross buns on offer this Easter . ELEVENSES TREAT . Tesco Finest Apple & Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns, £1.50 for four . Nutrition: 198 cals, 11.5g sugar, 0.4g salt, 33.7g carbs, 3.2g fat . These looked lovely and squidgy but weren’t big on flavour, sadly. Nice, but slightly bland. 3/5 . PRETTIEST . Selfridges Hot Cross Buns, £4.99 for four . Nutrition: No details available . Four lovely, fat buns that look very attractive. They went a pretty shade of gold when heated and were delicious with some butter and strawberry jam. Made for Selfridges by the St John bakery in Bermondsey, South London, they’re expensive, but worth it (though I wouldn’t have minded just a tad more fruit). 4/5 . MOST INDULGENT . M&S Toffee Fudge & Belgian Chocolate Hot Cross Buns, £1.60 for four . Nutrition per bun: 207 calories, 11.8g sugar, 0.35g salt, 33.5g carbs, 5.4g fat . What looks like traditional raisins in these sticky buns is actually a generous serving of toffee, fudge and dark chocolate chips. I wanted to find these too sweet, but they were delicious. 5/5 . POSHEST . Fortnum & Mason Sir Nigel’s Marmalade Hot Cross Buns, £5.95 for four . Nutrition: 320 cals, 17.2g sugar, 0.36g salt, 59.3g carbs, 6g fat . BIG, fat, golden buns with the traditional white cross and a glaze of orange marmalade. Slightly bitter, but in a good way! Toasted, they are utter perfection. 5/5 . MOST ECCENTRIC . Heston From Waitrose Ginger & Acacia Honey Hot Cross Buns, £1.50 for two . Nutrition: 255 cals, 23.8g sugar, 0.5g salt, 46.9g carbs, 4g fat . These big buns have a refreshing hit of ginger and a lovely sweet slick of honey. Perfect with a cup of Earl Grey, though they might scare traditional types. 4/5 . NUTTY BUT NICE . Waitrose Nutty & Flavoursome Muesli Hot Cross Buns, £1.69 for four . Nutrition: 194 cals, 15.3g sugar, 0.37g salt, 30.7g carbs, 4.3g fat . Stuffed with vine fruits, hazelnuts and rolled oats, so they have a very different texture to regular hot cross buns. Slightly chewy, they’re more substantial than the others, but would be nice for breakfast with a little bit of honey. 4/5 . SHOWSTOPPER . Betty’s of Harrogate Large Chocolate & Orange Hot Cross Bun, £6.25 for one . Nutrition: No details available . This legendary Harrogate bakery never fails to disappoint. This bun is very large (nearly 6in diameter) so you may want to slice, toast and share it. With chunks of dark chocolate chunks and pieces of crystallised orange peel, it’s the ultimate Easter treat. 5/5 . BEST FOR KIDS . Morrisons Chocolate Hot Cross Buns, 99p for six . Nutrition: 151 cals, 7.9g sugar, 0.3g salt, 22.7g carbs, 5g fat . Smaller than average and absolutely stuffed with big chocolate chunks. They are delicious cold, and fantastic heated up. 5/5 . BUDGET BUY . Lidl Rowan Hill Bakery Luxury Hot Cross Buns, 99p for four . Nutrition: 197 cals, 14g sugar, 0.35g salt, 34g carbs, 3.4g fat . well-stuffed with fruit but a little dense for my liking. Still, there’s no arguing with the price and they brush up well after a few minutes in the oven and with some melted butter and jam. 3/5 . CALORIE BUSTER . Tesco Finest Double Belgian Chocolate & Cornish Fudge Hot Cross Buns, £1.50 for four . Nutrition: 213 cals, 9g sugar, 0.4g salt, 30.8g carbs, 7.2g fat . Sticky, milk and white chocolate-stuffed buns that sound like a pudding but work as a bun. Put your feet up and indulge! 5/5 . FREE FROM NASTIES . Waitrose LOVELife Free From Hot Cross Buns, £2.49 for four . Nutrition: 204 cals, 13.4g sugars, 0.33g salt, 34.8g carbs, 5.4g fat . Free from gluten, these are still beautifully spiced and the nicest of the free-from varieties I tried. 4/5 . GRANNY'S CHOICE . Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Cranberry & Golden Raisin Hot Cross Buns, £1.70 for four . Nutrition: 203 cals, 18.1g sugar, 0.47g salt, 36.5g carbs, 3.4g fat . They look pretty, with jewel-like cranberries and fat golden raisins. Though, if I’m being really fussy, they’re slightly dry so need a big dollop of butter. 4/5 . GUILT-FREE . Waitrose Richly Fruited Mini Hot Cross Buns, £1.59 for nine . Nutrition: 88 cals, 7.5g sugar, 0.18g salt, 16.1g carbs, 1.4g fat . The size of these is perfect for those who want a nostalgic Easter treat without the calorie content. Moist and fruity, and the perfect portion size for children, too. 5/5 . TRADITIONAL . M&S Luxury Hot Cross Buns, £1.60 for four . Nutrition: 209 cals, 19.5g sugar, 0.33g salt, 40.4g carbs, 2.4g fat . M&S are rather good at doing seasonal treats like this, and their luxury offering this year is no exception. These are neither too light nor too dense, come packed with juicy fruit and orange and lemon peel and have a fab flavour. 5/5 .
target: Easter favourites, hot cross buns, used to be eaten all year round .
  Queen Elizabeth I tried to ban them but allowed them to be eaten at Easter .
  Now supermarkets are bringing out more varieties to tempt customers .