Serves: 6 - Time:
I often make bread and butter pudding if there are croissants, brioches or any bread/bun leftovers that have passed their best. This pudding is no exception- the hot cross buns had been languishing in the bread bin and I had most of a jar of salted caramel sauce to use up. I am extremely fussy about bread and butter pudding-the custard has to be smooth with a distinct wobble- so it’s important to watch the timer and keep checking the pudding after 30 minutes cooking.
Ingredients
- 3 hot cross buns
- 40g salted butter, softened at room temperature, plus a little extra for buttering dish
- 6 tablespoons salted caramel sauce
- 350ml whole milk
- 300ml double cream
- 3 large eggs and one large egg yolk
- 110g caster sugar
Method
- Grease an ovenproof dish with a little butter. My dish is about 25cm diameter, 6cm depth. Split the buns horizontally and generously butter each half. Spread with a tablespoon of salted caramel sauce per half bun. Arrange the hot cross buns in one layer in the buttered dish, cutting them in half again to fit in if necessary.
- Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan and bring to just below boiling point. Whisk the eggs and egg yolk with the sugar in a large bowl. Pour over the hot milk and cream and whisk to combine. Pass the custard through a fine mesh sieve. Pour the custard over the buns and press them down a little into the liquid. Leave to rest at room temperature for one hour.
- Heat the oven to fan 150°c, mark 3. Find a roasting tin big enough to hold the pudding dish. Place it on a rack in the centre of the oven. Pour in boiling water to a depth of about 2cm. Carefully place the pudding dish into the roasting tin. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the pudding feels just firm in the middle-although it should still have a little wobble. Lift the dish out of the roasting tin and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.
