- This recipe is super flexible – swap the hot cross buns for stale croissants, brioche or bread, if that’s what you’ve got.
- You can use any sugar in place of the golden caster sugar, but you might not get as much caramelisation.
- Use any type of jam or marmalade, and switch out the chocolate eggs for whatever you’ve got. Just have fun with it.
45 mins plus resting
Not Too Tricky
serves 6
About the recipe
We all know and love bread and butter pudding, but it’s time for a change. This epic version is super fun – ripping up leftover hot cross buns, layering them up with your favourite Easter chocolate in a pan, then baking in a quick homemade egg custard until golden. And it can be made ahead (even the kids can help!). So easy, so delicious and proper comforting.
Ingredients
3 large free-range eggs
150ml whole milk
150ml double cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
75g golden caster sugar
60g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing (softened)
6 hot cross buns (450g)
30g Mini Eggs, leftover Easter eggs, or quality dark chocolate (70%)
30g cherry jam
Top Tip
If you're pushed for time, assemble it the night before, store in the fridge, then bake the next day. Simple!
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
- Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl, add the milk, cream, vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of sugar, then whisk until smooth.
- Grease a 24cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan with a knob of the butter, tip in 1 tablespoon of sugar and shake around to coat – this will give you the most gorgeous, caramelised outside. Tap gently, then tip any excess sugar back into a small bowl for later.
- Slice each hot cross bun into 3 rounds and butter them on one side. Take the bottom and middle pieces and dip into the custard mixture, then layer up the edges of the pan and over the base – tear some of the slices to fit snugly into the pan to fill any gaps.
- Scatter in two-thirds of the chocolate eggs (or snap in the dark chocolate), dollop on half the jam, then dip the hot cross bun tops into the custard, lay them on top and press down. Pour over the remaining custard and finish with the remaining chocolate eggs and jam.
- Leave to soak for 5 minutes (the more it sucks up, the better!), then sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until set. Allow the pudding to rest for 10 minutes, then carefully slide onto a serving board or plate.
- Serve with cream, custard or ice cream, if you like – it’s delicious cold, too, if you’ve got any left over!
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