Easter Family, Fun & Chocolate! 😋

For me, Easter has always been a special time filled with laughter, love & the joy of watching my son's face light up as he discovers hidden Easter eggs around our apartment.

Hiding Easter eggs for my son was my speciality, I would make it like Christmas morning for him! He would find a red string on his bed post, left by the Easter Bunny which would lead him to his first Easter egg. There's something magical about seeing the excitement & wonder in his eyes as he searches high & low, eagerly anticipating the discovery of another colourful egg. It's a simple yet meaningful way to create lasting memories that bonded Elijah & I.

But Easter isn't just about egg hunts and chocolate bunnies it's also a time for sharing food and celebrating with loved ones. As someone who has always had a passion for cooking & baking, this is my opportunity to whip up delicious treats to share with fam & friends.

One Easter staple that I look forward to every year is hot cross buns. While the traditional version is undoubtedly delicious, I can't resist all the new flavours, especially when it comes to chocolate hot cross buns.There's something undeniablyscrummy about biting into a warm, chocolatey bun!🤤

Of course, being someone who hates waste, I'm always looking for creative ways to use up leftover hot cross buns. Enter the chocolate hot cross bun bread and butter pudding—a delightful twist on a classic dessert that's even more delish! This simple yet yummy pudding combines the rich flavours of chocolate hot cross buns with creamy custard & even more chocolatiness with dark chocolate buttons, resulting in a dessert that's as comforting as it is indulgent! 🥰

Ingredients.

• 50 grams of butter
• 6 chocolate hot cross buns
• ¼ cup of chocolate buttons 1 ½ cups of milk
• 1 cup of cream
• 3 tbsp of castor sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla essence
• Icing sugar, whipped cream or ice cream.

• 1 ½ cups of milk
• 1 cup of cream
• 3 tbsp of castor sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla essence
• Icing sugar, whipped cream or ice cream.

Method.

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a baking dish with a little butter.
• Cut hot cross buns in half, keeping the top halves separate.
• Spread the remaining butter over bottom half of the hot cross bun slices and layer in the dish.
• Mix the eggs, milk, cream, caster sugar, vanilla essence, together in a large bowl.
• Place the bottom buttered halves in a baking dish. Pour ½ of the mixture evenly over the buns.
• Top each bun with 3 or 4 chocolate bottoms Set aside to soak for 5 minutes.
• Dip each of the tops of the hot cross buns in the mixture before placing on the top of the bottom 1/2s.
• Pour the rest of the mixture over the buns top with 2 more chocolate buttons.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the top is golden and the custard is set.
• Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

As the pudding bakes, your kitchen will be filled with the mouthwatering aroma of chocolate and vanilla, tempting everyone within sniffing distance. 🤭

& when it's finally ready, serve up generous portions topped with a dollop of whipped cream more chocolate button for good measure. 🤩

Gather around the table with your loved ones, dig into this decadent dessert, and let the conversation flow as you relive the day's egg-hunting adventures. 🤗

So why not treat yourself and your loved ones to a slice of chocolate hot cross bun bread and butter pudding?  It's the perfect way to end a day filled with laughter, love, and plenty of Easter fun.Here's to making memories that will last a lifetime!😘

Sofia 🩷