Should you find yourself wide-awake during the small hours, you may be familiar with the phenomena that is; the brain’s ability to decide that it is going to be a). it’s most creative, but b). to channel this creativity into some of the most random and off-the-wall ideas known to man. Of course, and depending on the reason for your ‘wakefulness’, you will still be half-asleep so will most likely convince yourself that your idea is the stuff of genius. You may also believe that you will remember this gem, only to wake in the morning to have a vague feeling that there is something that you need to do?!; or, you will choose to write this idea down having already experienced the frustration of knowing you thought of something extraordinary, but only being able to remember your dream about the dancing hot-dogs.
Well, unfortunately for you I chose matter-of-mind and scribbled down three memorable words that any self-respecting hippocampus would shred within seconds of processing them; ‘Hop Cross Buns’.
That’s right people, the simple Hot Cross Bun but made with hops. I make no excuse for yet another beer related topic on my beer related blog, even if the subject matter is on a slight tangent from what a sane blog reader may be interested in. Anyway, my brain has taken my mixed up thoughts and gifted me with an idea that, according to Google, has never been attempted before? An idea that I’m hoppy to share immediately as its reasonable blog fodder and too stupid to make anyone any money…right?
I’ve seen and tasted hops used in cheese and have since read that hop shoots can be eaten in salads, or lightly steamed/sautéed. There will be more uses of this amazing plant within cooking/baking*, but I’m planning to bake myself some traditional Hot Cross Buns but with a Humulus Lupulus twist. The fact that they will be called Hop Cross Buns just adds to the fun. If they don’t work out then I’ll be moving swiftly on to hop brownies…as we all know that any brownie is a good brownie!
Check out;
*Trinidad Hops Bread – Trinigourmet.com
*Sourdough – Sourdough Companion
*Brownies & Cupcakes – Mike is Bored – Blogspot
So, should you find yourself with hops not as fresh as they once were, or odds and ends clogging the freezer up, then why not give these recipes a go and let me know how you got on. I’ll report back on my Hop Cross Buns. P.s. space-cake comments welcome.
Disclaimer: I do not condone the bastardisation of perfectly good brewing hops.
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