Eggs that hatch bearing gifts - Photos by Fahim Siddiqi / White Star
The ingredients for the hot-cross buns include spices with a generous amount of sugar sprinkled on the top. Of course, there is also the cross made of biscuit on the top. “Some bakeries make the cross from marzipan and some make it with cream but we make it from biscuit,” says Haider Abbas.
The bakery gets orders for their hot-cross buns from all over the world. “Just last Friday we prepared 25 dozen for someone in Australia. And more orders have been pouring in from Monday ahead of Easter weekend as those sending them to their family and friends abroad need them a little before Easter weekend. But for local customers, almost all the bakeries here start making the buns from Thursday so that they are fresh on Good Friday and the eggs we start work on from Friday. The demand for both continues for a week after Easter so we make sure to make them in quantity,” says the baker.
The best part about hot-cross buns is that they don’t go bad soon. “You may also freeze them for months,” he says.
As for Easter eggs, New JC Misquita Bakery makes chocolate and marzipan Easter eggs in various sizes. “The chocolate eggs are more quantity wise than the marzipan for the simple reason that people like chocolate more,” says Haider Abbas. And the filling comprises more chocolate such as mini size Mars, Snickers, Kit Kat bars, etc. “We also put in small toys,” he adds.
Though several bakeries, especially those around the Saddar area, where many churches are located, sell hot-cross buns during the Easter weekend, Easter eggs are not as common. “We make around 2,000 to 2,500 Easter eggs every year. After us the other bakeries, which also make them don’t make as many and not in as big a variety as ours. Our biggest competitor stops after 600 Easter eggs,” he says.
“We are grateful to God to have made two of our products so popular,” says Haider Abbas. Asked why they haven’t thought about packaging the delicacies, he smiles and shakes his head. “My father says that since both the bun and egg have to do with religious custom and tradition, this should not go to our heads. We are not to cash in on our popularity. Therefore we keep the prices, too, at a bare minimum. The cheapest Easter egg costs hundred rupees and the most expensive is for Rs320. The buns, too, are for Rs280 a dozen,” he says.