In England the most notable Good Friday custom is baking hot cross buns, which are almost universally eaten for breakfast on Good Friday morning. These are buns, or spiced rolls, round in shape, with a cross indented in the top. The custom is said to have originated in 1361 at St. Alban's Abbey, when one of the monks baked them as gifts for the poor.

All kinds of beliefs prevail as to the curative properties of the Good Friday buns. Unlike common bread, they are supposed not to grow moldy when kept and stale buns are retained for all kinds of purposes - for grating into medicines, as charms against shipwreck, as a means of keeping rats out of corn, and as a general "good luck" talisman for the household, to be hung from the ceiling on a string.

2 c. scalded milk
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 cakes yeast, dissolved in 1/3 c. lukewarm water
2 eggs
8 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. raisins
1 tsp. cinnamon or nutmeg

Pour scalded milk over butter and sugar, stirring to dissolve. Cool to lukewarm. Add the yeast mixture and eggs. Mix well. Gradually add the flour and salt, reserving a small amount of flour to dust raisins. Add spice and floured raisins to the dough and knead in thoroughly. Place in buttered bowl, cover and let rise until doubled. Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a floured board. Shape dough into 30 buns and place on buttered cookie sheets.

Cover and let rise 30 minutes, then very carefully press the shape of a cross into each bun, using a spatula or the back of a knife. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until buns are browned, about 10 to 15 minutes longer. Frost either the entire bun or just the shape of the cross.

WHITE FROSTING:

1 egg
1 tsp. lemon juice, vanilla or almond extract
Confectioners' sugar

Beat egg white until stiff, adding confectioners' sugar until mixture is thick. Add flavoring. If frosting is to thin, add more confectioners' sugar.