Preparation time - 20 mins

Cooking time - 20-30 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4-6 Hot Cross Buns (White or Brown)

3oz Butter (approx)

300ml (10floz) Milk

300ml (10floz) Double cream

1 Vanilla Pod8 Egg Yolks

75g (3oz) Sugar

Apricot Jam to glaze

2-3 pint Casserole or Pie Dish

Method:

• Cut into finger thick slices and butter
• Place into a buttered  casserole dish
• Heat together double cream, milk and vanilla pod (split length ways and scraped to release seeds)
• Meanwhile mix egg yolks and sugar in a bowl
• After milk and cream have heated and infused for approx 15 minutes, remove Vanilla Pod and add hot liquid to eggs and sugar stirring all the time
• Pour mixture back into pan and return to heat
• Stir all the time until mixture thickens (do not boil!)
• Pour thickened sauce over sliced hot cross buns
• Leave to soak 20-30 minutes before cooking in a water bath in preheated oven at 180˚C/ 350˚F, Gas 4 until just set
• Remove from oven, dissolve some apricot jam in a pan with a little water and brush over pudding to glaze
• Serve with whipped cream or ice cream