Hot cross bun and butter pudding

Comfort food is having a bit of a moment around here, which makes sense. And things don’t get much more comforting than bread and butter pudding.

This one is made with a six-pack of hot cross buns that were inexplicably overlooked on Easter weekend.

After halving and buttering the buns, we set aside a few crossed tops, then sliced up the rest. The milk and egg mixture was spiked with rum to up the comfort quotient..;-)

We scoffed the lot immediately with the last of the double cream. Scraping the bowl clean before washing up, I think it might taste even better cold.

Hot cross bun and butter pudding
(serves 4)

• 6 stale hot cross buns
• butter
• 1 ½ cups (375ml) milk
• ½ cup (125ml) double cream
• 3 eggs
• 2 Tb sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 Tb rum

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (375°F).
2. Slice the hot cross buns in half, and spread with butter.
3. Reserve three of the tops, then cut the remaining halves into quarters.
4. Butter a large pudding basin, and fill with the muffin quarters.
5. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk and cream.
6. Add the eggs, sugar, salt, mixed spice and rum. Whisk to combine.
7. Pour half the milk mixture over the muffin quarters. arrange the reserved tops, then pour over the remaining milk mixture.
8. Place the pudding basin in a roasting tin, pour in a kettleful of boiling water, then careful transfer to the oven.
9. Bake for 45-60 min, or until the pudding is springy and set, and the top golden and crusty.
10. Cool for ten minutes, then serve with custard, cream or ice cream.

Tags: British cooking, Easter, vegetarian