Vix's Hot Cross Pudding

Not your average bread and butter pudding! Vix's Hot Cross Pudding recipe makes great use of any stale hot cross buns, or even failed attempts at homemade hot cross buns!

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HOT CROSS PUDDING

You will need

• Cream or milk - 500 grams

• Vanilla pod - 1/5 OR Vanilla essence - 1/4 tsp

• Egg yolk - from 5 eggs

• Castor sugar - 75 grams

• Hot Cross Buns - 4-6 buns

• Chocolate to taste (optional)

• Nut brittle to taste (optional)

Let's get baking!

Step 1: Place the cream and vanilla into a sauce pan. If using vanilla pod, remove seeds from pod and then place both pod and seeds into the saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Step 2: Whisk the sugar and eggs together

Step 3: Pour the boiling cream over the egg mixture slowly, whisking continuously to create your custard mixture. Allow to cool slightly.

Step 4: Slice the hot cross buns and arrange into your baking dish.

Step 5: Strain the cream mixture through a fine sieve.

Step 6: Pour enough of the custard mixture over the hot cross bun base to ensure that they are completely covered/soaked. If you are using a deep dish, repeat this step in layers ensuring each layer is soaked through.

Step 7: If you are adding chocolate chunks or caramelized nuts, sprinkle between each layer.

If you have time, for best results, leave for a few hours in the fridge to allow the buns to soak up all the custard. You may even need to add more!

Step 8: Bake the pudding at 150 degrees, covered with foil, for 25-35 minutes (depending on how deep your chosen dish is).

Step 9: 5-7 minutes before finished baking, remove the foil and add anything from chocolate chunks and brown sugar to crumble mixture or meringue as you choose!

Step 10: Remove from the oven. To check if your hot cross pudding is baked, stick a bread knife into the center of the pudding and pull slightly to one side if the pudding is ready there should only be a small amount of 'custardy' liquid. If there is still a fair amount of “runny” liquid bake for a bit longer.

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