Seduced by the ‘buy one get one free’ packs at the checkout counter I found myself with a pack of rapidly staling hot cross buns. This simple and utterly delicious recipe was created as a way to use them up.
Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding. milk and cream infused with lemon zest, bay leaves and grated nutmeg
Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding
serves 5-6
Ingredients:
4 hot cross buns – stale is good
50g butter, soft
300ml milk
300ml double cream
2 bay leaves
2-3 pieces of pared zest from a lemon
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons sugar – white or demerara
Cut the hot cross buns in half and lightly butter each cut half and use the remaining butter to butter a 2 litre baking dish.
Put the milk and cream into a pan along with the bay leaves, pared lemon zest and the grated nutmeg. Over a medium heat bring the milk and cream to a simmer and then remove the pan from the heat and let the contents infuse for twenty minutes.
Put the cut bases of the hot cross buns butter side up into the buttered dish. Sprinkle over 1 tablespoonful of the sugar and then put the hot cross bun top pieces, butter side down, on top of these. Bring the infused milk and cream back to boiling point and then strain the milk over the hot cross buns in the oven dish.
Push the hot cross buns well down into the hot cream and leave to stand for at least an hour and up to three so that the buns can absorb the cream and flavours.
Heat the oven to 175c/gas 4.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar over the top of the pudding and cook for 30 minutes until the custard is gently set and the top is golden. Remove from the oven and rest for ten minutes before serving.
Stirring Stuff 