Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding
This hot cross bun bread and butter pudding is the ultimate Easter pudding. Imagine soft, spiced hot cross buns, spread with sweet raspberry jam, dotted with molten pieces of gooey white chocolate and juicy raspberries, baked in a creamy vanilla custard…
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- About 10 g unsalted butter for greasing
- 8 hot cross buns sliced in half
- 100 g raspberry jam
- 100 g fresh raspberries
- 100 g good-quality white chocolate chopped into small pieces
- 3 large eggs
- 20 g caster sugar
- 225 ml full-fat milk
- 225 ml double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Grease a 1 Litre oven-proof baking dish with butter and set aside.
- Pop the hot cross buns onto a board and spread the bases generously with raspberry jam. Sprinkle over half the fresh raspberries, followed by half the chopped white chocolate. Top with the lids to make 8 hot cross bun sandwiches.
- Arrange the hot cross bun sandwiches into the prepared dish - you may have to cut some into quarters so that they all fit neatly (try to fill in any gaps). Scatter over the remaining raspberries and white chocolate. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
- Pour the milk and cream into a large saucepan and place over a low heat. Warm through until beginning to steam. Take care not to let it boil. Remove from the heat and gradually pour over the egg-sugar mixture, whisking constantly.
- Carefully pour the egg mixture over the hot cross buns, ensuring they are evenly covered. Leave to stand for 10 minutes to allow the hot cross buns time to soak up some of the custard.
- Place the baking dish into a deep roasting tin and pour in enough cold water round the edge to come about 2.5 cm up the sides of the dish (take care not to get any water into the pudding itself).
- Pop in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes - or until the custard is just set and the top is golden and crisp.
- Leave to stand for 10 minutes before spooning into bowls and serving warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of double cream. You can also add the ice cream on top of the dish and serve family-style at the table.
Notes
Scroll up for a step by step guide with images on how to make this hot cross bun bread and butter pudding.
To store: this is best served straight after standing. However, leftovers can be left to cool completely before being covered and chilled for up to 3 days.
To reheat: reheat individual portions in microwave-proof dishes in 30-second blasts until warmed through. Alternatively, pop into oven-proof dishes, cover with foil, and bake at 180C/160C Fan for about 10-15 minutes until warmed through - the exact time will depend on the amount of hot cross bun bread and butter pudding you are reheating.
To freeze: The assembled (unbaked) pudding can be frozen for up to 3 months. Don't freeze with the raspberries and white chocolate chunks on the top. Assemble it and then wrap tightly in clingfilm and a final layer of foil. When ready to eat, defrost overnight in the fridge. Around 30 minutes before baking it, remove it from the fridge to bring it to room temp. Then bake as usual. Make sure it's piping hot before serving.
Cover with foil: If the buns or white chocolate look like they are browning too quickly, simply cover with foil and return to the oven to finish baking.
Hot cross buns: you can use any flavour hot cross buns you like (there are so many out there these days). Alternatively, you can also use brioche.
Jam: you can use whatever flavour jam you like. Strawberry, apricot, blackcurrant and/or blueberry are all delicious. Marmalade is great if you want to go for chocolate orange vibes (especially if you like my jaffa cake cake). Alternatively, up the indulgence by using nutella or biscoff instead.
Chocolate: swap the white chocolate for milk or dark chocolate if you prefer. Just make sure you use chopped chocolate chunks, not chocolate chips.
Fruit: swap the raspberries for any kind of berry you wish. Blackberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries or pitted cherries all work well. Alternatively, use chopped oranges for a chocolate orange hot cross bun bread and butter pudding.