Do these iconic Aussie flavours really belong on a hot cross bun?

The rot probably started when someone decided to pop a humble choc chip into the simple sweet bun, forgoing the fruit.

Over the past few years we've seen Special Burger Sauce ones, jalapeno and cheese, indulgent Cadbury chocolate brioche buns, sticky date pudding, even ones with Lotus Biscoff.

Apparently there's a fairy bread one this year, sold by Woolworths, but if anyone has seen one, let alone tried one, please let me know. They're as rare as hen's teeth.

Sister newspaper The Canberra Times was able to snaffle three of this season's divisive flavours, available from Coles and try them.

While Iced Vo Vo, Pizza Shapes and Cheese and Vegemite are all iconic Australian flavours, who thought it was a good idea to incorporate them into a hot cross bun?

Here's our verdict.

I'm going to put it out there and suggest that Pizza Shapes aren't even the best flavour Shapes. Why sprinkle the top of a perfectly fine bun with that iridescent orange dust? I'm still trying to get it off my fingers. It was a savoury combination that just didn't work.

Mind you, I was starting to think about how a Chicken Crimpy - the No. 1 Shapes - might work instead. Or even a Barbecue Shapes one.

We turned a Special Burger sauce one into a hamburger last Easter and it was surprisingly tasty. There might be some hope for the Shapes bun after all.

I love a good cheese and Vegemite scroll. They were a mainstay in my children's school lunches for years on lazy Fridays. So maybe there's something nostalgic about these ones.

The bun is soft, and it would toast up well, whack a thick slice of cheddar in there and go to town.

If I have one suggestion, I'd ramp up the flavour. I know we're a nation divided by how much Vegemite is too much, but these would be better with more of a umami kick. Perhaps swirl it through the dough and not just on top?

After my disappointment in the Coconut Cream Tim Tam in our recent taste test, I was hoping I might find my coconut kick here and I wasn't disappointed. The biscuit has always been a favourite and this hot cross bun took me right back to 1979 and my nan's kitchen.

The bun itself is a not-quite Barbie pink, but full of colour nevertheless, and it's loaded with raspberry fudge, jellies and white chocolate. There's a good covering of desiccated coconut on top too.

Sweet as, but isn't that half the point?

What's your favourite hot cross bun topping, and do you have a recipe to share? Send it to edit@thesenior.com.au