This recipe is a wonderful way to up-cycle any left over Hot Cross Buns and to make good food go further.
Serves 10-12 people or halve the recipe for a smaller pudding that is perfect for 5.
Check out our step by step video and share your creations with #GAILsAtHome.
Happy baking x
INGREDIENTS
-10 two-day-old Hot Cross Buns
-15 rashes smoked streaky bacon
-Soft butter at room temperature for greasing the pudding dish
-Pudding (or roasting) dish at 20 x 30 x H10cm
-Little bit of icing sugar for dusting (optional)
For the custard:
-500ml whole milk
-500ml double cream
-6 large eggs
-150g caster sugar
-50ml maple syrup (plus more for brushing)
-Small pinch of fine sea salt
-1 tbsp. vanilla extract
METHOD
-In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mix, combine all the custard ingredients and pour into a large jug
-Using your fingers, liberally butter the pudding dish with soft butter (don’t be shy)
-Pre-heat your oven to 200°C
-Arrange the bacon onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, brush the rashes with maple syrup and bake in the pre heated oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until crispy. Remove from the oven, let the rashes cool and then chop roughly
-Reduce the oven heat to 160°C
-Cut the stale buns into halves and quarters and then arrange them in the pudding dish randomly
-Slowly and gradually, pour the custard over the buns. You might want to let the buns “drink” some custard before you continue topping them up with more
-Sprinkle the chopped bacon on top and inbetween the buns, tucking the pieces in as you go. Leave some pieces on top of the custard so they can crisp up
-Cover the pudding dish loosely with a large sheet of tin foil and bake for 30 minutes
-Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 – 20 minutes until the pudding is golden brown and the custard appears set when pressed down in the middle of the pudding
-Remove from the oven and brush with more maple syrup. Then dust with icing sugar if desired
-Let cool for 15 minutes before spooning and serving. No extra custard is needed, instead we recommend serving this pudding with a dollop of ice cream