Chocolate Hot Cross Bun Pudding

I actually meant to post this last week but got distracted with an attempted nesting clean of my lounge.  I did actually succeed to a degree.  If you saw it this week you may not agree...

Before said spring clean I found three packets of hot cross buns in my cupboard.  I had bought too many after a trip to the shops where they were clearly pumping their hot and spicy scent through the air vents, rendering poor pregnant women helpless but to buy them.

As I didn't want the buns to go to waste and I felt like have pudding after my dinner, I decided to make them into my version of bread and butter pudding, layered with Nutella and spices.  I had to make a rather large custard mix to coat the buns as best as I could.  It wasn't full to the brim but about 2/3 of the way but the buns still soaked it all up beautifully.

The finished product was absolutely delicious especially with the generous lashings of custard and general sounds of quiet and contentedness from hubby and daughter.  So, here is the recipe.  One to save for next Easter!

Ingredients

• Butter for greasing (plus about 25g extra if you want to use butter on the buns)
• 50g Nutella (use more if you want it be more chocolaty)
• 8 hot cross buns (I used 10 which was just too many)
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 700 ml/12fl oz whole milk
• 100 ml/2fl oz double cream
• 4 free-range eggs
• 50 g/1oz granulated sugar
• nutmeg, grated, to taste

Preheat the oven to 180C/355F/Gas 4.

Preparation method

1. Grease a 1 litre/2 pint pie dish with butter.
2. Cut the hot cross buns in half lengthways.  Spread each slice with a generous helping of Nutella on one side.  Add a layer of butter first if feeling extra decadent!  Cut into triangles if you need slices to fit into any of the four corners of the dish.
3. Arrange a layer of buns, chocolate-side up, in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon, then repeat the layers of buns and cinnamon until all the buns are used.
4. Gently warm the milk and cream in a pan over a low heat to scalding point being careful to not let it boil.
5. Crack the eggs into a bowl, add three quarters of the sugar and lightly whisk until pale.
6. Add the warm milk and cream mixture to the eggs and stir well, then strain the custard into a bowl.
7. Pour the custard evenly over the prepared bun layers and sprinkle with a dusting of nutmeg and the remaining sugar and leave to stand for 30 minutes. 

Place the dish into the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the custard has set and the top is golden-brown.  My oven cooks quite quickly so ovens may vary.

Eat warm and enjoy!

Ally x