People like to add all kinds of condiments to their hot cross buns. Think Nutella, jam, honey, Vegemite, peanut butter or even cream cheese. It’s your bun – you can do what you like. But this year, we discovered a new favourite bun addition, and it was all thanks to Neil Perry. 

As Easter approached, a batch of hot cross buns was hand-delivered to the delicious. office by none other than Perry himself. And this is a busy man. The veteran chef and restaurateur currently heads up several Sydney venues – the swanky Margaret and the more casual wine bar Next Door, as well as modern Asian restaurant Song Bird and cocktail bar Bobbie’s. Meanwhile, Perry also has a hand in Sydney cult bakery, Baker Bleu – which is where the still-warm hot cross buns Perry brought to our door had been baked. 

If you’ve ever ordered a country wheel or a loaf of bread from Baker Bleu, you’ll know they don’t mess around when it comes to making damn good dough. When we opened our box of toasty-warm hot cross buns, we had high expectations (which, upon tasting, were naturally met), but there was something that came alongside these buns that we were not expecting: salt flakes. 

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What could we possibly need salt flakes for? A handwritten note from Perry that was included in the package suggested we add a sprinkle of salt flakes to the slather of butter we put on our hot cross buns. And who are we to argue with a legend? After following his instructions, we quickly discovered that the way we would eat hot cross buns would be forever changed. For those who find hot cross buns a little too sweet, the salt brings a lovely balance to the buns. And if you like the spicy flavour of a hot cross bun, the salt only enhances it. 

“Salt is great on everything, right?” Perry says. “It enhances the natural flavours of the fruit and spice and provides a nice contrast to the sweetness of the bun. Some CopperTree butter and a sprinkle of salt on top – it’s impossible to beat; it’s so tasty.”

For some, like Perry, a sprinkle of salt is not enough: “I use salted butter and then more salt on top of that,” he says. “I’m a tragic for salt. Salted butter is never salty enough for me.”

Our Food Director Lucy Nunes agrees: “ With my hot cross buns, I love them toasted and slathered with salted butter,” she says. “And the pinch of salt flakes on top is not too much. It gives you an extra burst of saltiness, cuts through the sweetness of the bun and brings out the citrus and spice, which is what I love about hot cross buns.” 

So there you have it, folks. Try it for yourselves. You won’t regret it. 

Related story: Our best-ever hot cross bun recipe