Hot cross bun pudding

I am feeling very Springy at the moment. The sunshine (we’ll just pretend the snow isn’t there), the burgeoning daffodils, all the new summer clothes in the shops. I feel different, and it’s definitely got something to do with Spring. Hot cross buns make me feel Springy too. I picked some up today, and instead of munching fresh from toaster slathered in butter, I thought I’d make a pudding.

Hot cross buns make an excellent replacement for bread in a traditional bread and butter pudding. I think the raisins and sultanas being part of the bread instead of sprinkled on top is preferable, as they don’t burn. I hate to be repetitive (I say this a lot about my recipes) but this is mind blowingly easy, for even the most novice cook. Butter your buns, mix your custard, pour over and bake – that’s kind of it. There is zero skill involved. Which makes it’s just perfect for sleep deprived people like me.

Eating pudding for lunch seems a little bit decadent, but I had to try it, and it makes for a better photo if I bake and blog in the daytime. Serve with yoghurt for a tart counterpoint, or cream if you’re feeling like a treat.

To serve 4: 
4 hot cross buns, sliced and generously buttered
275ml milk
60ml double cream
50g caster sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange
Grating of fresh nutmeg

• Preheat oven to 200C. You’ll need a medium sized pie dish to hold 4 buns, sliced into eight pieces. 
• Split and butter your buns. Arrange in a circle if using a round dish (like I did) or rows in an oblong shaped one. 
• Mix your milk, cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest, then mix very well with a fork. 
• Pour over your custard and squidge your buns into the custard so they’re thoroughly soaked. Grate fresh nutmeg over the top, about a 1/4 of a whole one. 
• Bake for 25 minutes at 200C. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn on top. Mine started to colour so I turned the oven down for the last 5 minutes.