Nadia Lim’s hot cross bun pudding recipe is a must-try this Easter.

So over Easter eggs? This recipe will steal the show over shiny-wrapped treats any day.

Dotted with butter, chocolate and marmalade, soaked in custard then served with maple-roasted pears, this dessert is decadence at its best.

Easy   |   Serves: 6   |    45 mins

Ingredients

• 50g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 4-6 hot cross buns (depending on the size of your baking dish)
• 1/4 cup marmalade (or other jam like apricot or plum)
• 100g good-quality chocolate (milk or dark), chopped
• 3 free-range eggs
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla essence or extract
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3-4 tbsp cream

To serve

• • custard, ice cream or whipped cream
  • roasted pears or other fruit, to serve, optional (see recipe in tips)

Steps

• • 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a medium-sized baking dish with butter (this recipe used a 27 x 18cm baking dish).
    2. Cut each bun horizontally into 1cm-thick slices (about 3 slices per bun). Spread each piece with butter and marmalade. Arrange in baking dish, overlapping, until the baking dish is full. Scatter chopped chocolate over the top.
    3. Whisk together eggs, first measure of cream, milk, vanilla and 2 Tbsp of brown sugar then pour over the sliced buns and chocolate. Push the buns down gently to soak in the custard.
    4. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar over the top and drizzle with last measure of cream.
    5. Bake for about 25 minutes until top has formed a crust and the custard is just set. Let pudding stand for 10-15 minutes before serving warm with custard, ice cream or cream, plus roasted fruit if desired. Or keep it in the fridge for breakfast pudding the next day – it’s such a treat warmed up with custard or cream!

Tips

To make maple-roasted pears, quarter 4 just-ripe pears length-ways (don’t bother peeling, coring or removing stem). Place in a medium baking dish, sprinkle with a good pinch of cinnamon and drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup. Pour ¼ cup water into the baking dish. Roast for about 40 minutes at 180°C, basting the pears a few times throughout. Dairy-free, gluten-free.

This recipe originally appeared on Food To Love.