For something different. Use up your leftover hot cross buns in this delicious twist on bread and butter pudding.

Hot Cross Bread & Lemon Pudding

Ingredients

LEMON CURD

• 2 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
• 1/3 cup (80g) chilled unsalted butter
• Zest and juice of 2 lemons

PUDDING

• knob of butter, for the dish
• 4 hot cross buns (can be stale)
• 200g lemon curd (see above for ingredient and below for method) 
• 2 large eggs
• 200ml double cream
• 200ml milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• little lemon zest
• cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional)

Method

LEMON CURD

1. Whisk whole eggs, yolks and sugar in a saucepan until smooth, then place pan over a low heat. Add the butter, juice and zest and whisk continuously until thickened. Strain through a sieve into a sterilised jar. Lemon curd keeps, covered, in the fridge for 2 weeks.

PUDDING

1. Butter a 1-litre baking dish that will quite snugly fit the buns. Cut each bun into 3 slices, and sandwich back together with a generous spreading of curd. Arrange buns in the dish.
2. Whisk egg, cream, milk and remaining curd, then sieve into a jug with the vanilla and 3 tbsp of the sugar. Pour over the buns and stand at room temperature for 30 mins for the custard to soak in.
3. Heat oven to 160C. Scatter the remaining sugar and lemon zest over the pudding.
4. Bake for 30-40 mins until the top is golden and the custard gently set.
5. Stand for 5 mins, then serve with cream or vanilla ice cream, if you like.

ENJOY

Serves 4