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Post-Easter Sunday, supermarket shelves are often filled with discounted hot cross buns. Save them from landfill, or use up a surplus of your own, by making today’s gooey, hot-cross-bun-and-butter pudding, which is a simple twist on the classic British bread-saving dessert.
The recipe is eminently adaptable to how many buns (and/or stale bread) you have, and, if necessary, the quantity can be made up with fresh bread, although stale bread holds both its integrity and the custard much better, making it a valued ingredient that’s well worth saving.
I’ve sweetened the dish with marmalade, which also adds flavour, but most pantry jam and sweeteners, such as spent lemon marmalade, maple syrup, honey or unrefined sugar, will work in similar quantities. I’ve also added cinnamon, chocolate chips and walnuts, all of which are optional; by all means use any other warm spices (nutmeg or allspice, say), nuts and seeds to create your own waste-saving recipe.
Hot-cross-bun-and-butter pudding with marmalade and walnuts
This gooey, Easter-themed take on the traditional bread-and-butter pudding makes a grand centrepiece for a celebratory table. Pick a small round or rectangular ovenproof dish in which the buns will fit snugly side by side. And don’t worry if you have only a couple of hot cross buns: make up the difference with regular stale bread, laid out underneath the round halves, or make individual portions in ramekins.
Serves 4-6
3 eggs
360ml whole milk
4 tbsp marmalade
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
6 hot cross buns
25g salted butter
12 walnuts, chopped (optional)
50g chocolate chips (optional)
½ tbsp icing sugar, to dust
Cream or ice-cream, to serve
In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs, milk, marmalade and cinnamon, if using. Cut the buns in half horizontally and generously butter the tops. Roughly tear the bases into an ovenproof dish into which all the buns will fit snugly. Scatter over half the walnuts and chocolate chips, then nestle the whole buttered bun lids on top.
Pour the custard over the lot, then scatter over the remaining nuts and chocolate chips, if using.
Squash down the buns so they soak up the custard, then bake in a preheated 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with cream or ice-cream.
