#InstaRecipes - Hot cross bun, pear & chocolate bread & butter pudding

Instagram has become my go to place for posting quick pictures of the things I'm creating, making, cooking and eating, and I've started a little thread I'm calling #InstaRecipes where some of my easy recipe ideas can be found.

You can find me at @GenevieveEats on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and at GenevieveEatsTV on YouTube.

Todays little #InstaRecipe was created on behalf of Sheila Dillon and the Radio 4 Food Programme who are coming round to my house any minute to record a show on the pleasures of the humble egg. As the author of A Good Egg, I'm chuffed to bits to have the legendary Sheila come and have a look at my girls, Petal, Pearl & Tilly and to try out some of my egg recipes.

This easy recipe was inspired by a pack of slightly stale hot cross buns (the result of one of those buy one get one free offers we're all suckers for) and I thought I'd make a seasonal Easter take on the legendary leftovers pudding.

Without further ado - here's the recipe, for the photos - all snapped on my iPhone - I was ably assisted by young Eve, aged 7, and its her small paws you can see.

You need - 5 hot cross buns, butter for spreading, 2 juicy pears, a bar of dark chocolate, broken into pieces, 4 eggs, 400ml milk, a little extra nutmeg & cinnamon, a tablespoon of demerara sugar

Here's what to do

• Grab your ingredients and turn the oven on to heat up (180C / 160C fan / gas 4)

 

• Slice the buns downwards, so that each is cut into about 5 one centimetre thick pieces. Butter each slice - be generous, the butter will add a richness that all puddings deserve (and it means you can happily just use milk in the pudding, no need for the addition of cream too) and layer into a deep baking dish

• Peel, core and cut the pears into wedges, tuck between the hot cross bun slices. Tuck in the broken up chocolate pieces.

• Crack the eggs into a jug and top up with 400ml milk. Spinkle over a little more ground cinnamon and grate on some nutmeg. Add as much or as little as you like.

• Lightly whisk it together with a fork and pour over the pudding

 

• Go slowly with the pouring so the egg mixture has time to settle rather through the buns, chocolate and fruit. Sprinkle the top with demerara sugar for a delicious crunch. 

• Bake in the hot oven for about 30-35 minutes. Check the pudding after about 25 minutes - if the top is getting a little too dark, loosely cover with foil to finish cooking. It is done when the custard has set but still has a slight wobble. Serve warm from the oven