This recipe for hot cross bread and butter pudding is something that comes into it’s own in the run up to Easter. The hot cross buns start to surface in supermarkets on Boxing day and we resist until February. I guarantee at some point in the intervening time there will be a few that don’t get eaten, don’t throw them to the birds, make up a tasty dessert with them. You’ll never look at a stale hot cross bun in the same way again I guarantee.

Link to measurement conversion chart

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 stale hot cross buns (teacakes work as well)
• 50g Butter
• 20g caster sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 568ml milk

You will also need

• a 1 litre oven proof baking dish or casserole, greased with butter
• a jug

Method

1. Slice the buns in half horizontally
2. Spread butter on the cut side then cut into triangles
3. Layer the slices in the baking dish, you should get 2 layers, top with a sprinkle of sugar
4. Beat the eggs in a jug, then add the milk, beat to combine
5. Carefully pour the eggy mixture into the oven dish allowing the buns to soak up the mix as you go. Reserve any spare eggy mix
6. Allow the pudding to stand for 30 mins to properly absorb the liquid, topping up with the spare if necessary
7. Preheat the oven to 160c
8. Bake the pudding for 45 - 60 mins, the pudding should be raised, golden and crispy on top.
9. Eat and enjoy!

Serving suggestions and variations

• The pudding will sink again soon after it comes out of the oven so if you want to impress take the pudding to the table straight from the oven.
• Serve warm with custard, cream or ice-cream.
• There are loads of variations on bread and butter pudding. One of our favourites is Delia Smiths chocolate bread and butter pudding.
• Try using other sweet breads such as panettone, brioche or teacakes.
• Croissants also make a good substitute, as they don’t contain fruit you will need to add this element.
• If you don’t like dried fruit use jam or marmalade spread on the bread instead
• Always use at least day old bread, it absorbs the liquid better.
• If you want a larger pudding increase the quantities in proportion to the number of buns you have, 1 bun per serving.

Acknowledgements

Some things I don't make and hot cross buns are one of them. A packet of hot cross buns comes in 6 ‘s and I struggle to eat that many in one sitting, so I made a bread and butter pudding with the leftovers. My original bread and butter pudding recipe comes from the Dairy Book of Family Cookery. I substituted the hot cross buns and left out the fruit, as there are already dried fruit in the buns. I also don’t add as much sugar either as the buns are sweet enough, but I do sprinkle a little on top as it helps to make the top crunchy. Hot cross buns make a very good substitution and I really like the added spices that flavour the pudding.

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Happy eating!