Stale hot cross buns? Make 'em into bread pudding!

If you’re like me, you started to salivate when those hot cross buns hit the market in the weeks before Easter. Laden with candied fruits, and topped with that wonderful white icing, I couldn’t resist picking up a few packages. But now, try as we did to finish them, the buns that are left are beginning to dry out around the edges.

Of course, we couldn’t toss them. Bread pudding time!!!!

We cut one of them into chunks, which we placed in a small glass baking dish along with a few currants and chopped dried apricots. Mixed up some eggs, cream, sugar, and butter, then added a splash of Grand Marnier, and we were on our way.

We frosted them with a cross of vanilla icing, and served the pudding topped with chopped dried cranberries. We know what we’ll have for breakfast tomorrow.

HOT CROSS BUN BREAD PUDDING

1 stale hot cross bun, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons currants OR chopped dried fruit
2 eggs
1/4 cup half & half
1/4 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Confectioner’s sugar icing

Place bread chunks into buttered 1-1/2-pint glass or ceramic baking pan. Top with fruit. In bowl, whisk together eggs, half & half, milk, sugar, Grand Marnier, and butter. Pour over bread mixture, saturating bread. Let stand while you preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake in preheated oven 35 to 45 minutes or until set and browned on top. Cool slightly and serve topped with a ‘cross’ of icing. Serves 2-4.
© 2008, Recipe by Portia Little.

Chocolate egg bread pudding is eggs-actly right for Easter

We’re planning our Easter menu, and along with the usual bunny cakes, colored eggs, and jelly beans, we’re going to surprise our guests this year with a sensational new dessert.

What else, but bread pudding? Looking through the range of Easter basket goodies at the market, I zeroed in on some of those little milk chocolate eggs, which I brought home and whipped up into an incredible BP. I crushed up the eggs into small chunks, and also added a handful of fresh raspberries – chocolate and fruit (especially those red fruits such as cherries, strawberries, or raspberries) just seem to go together.

A delightful treat that you can make ahead is the order of the day, of course, especially for holiday meals – take the stress out of the last-minute prep. Make this BP the day before and keep it in the fridge. Then just scoop out servings onto dessert plates for guests to enjoy. (If you’d like to serve it warmed up, just nuke it while you’re singing, “Here comes Peter Cottontail, hoppin’ down the bunny trail...”) The oohs and ahs will keep coming as you bring out this spring dessert, decorated with green, pink, orange, and yellow jelly beans, maybe a little chocolate sauce, and topped with a chocolate egg. And if a chocolate bunny friend sneaks in to the picture, trying to attract attention, that’s okay too. Let bunny sit on the plate and enjoy the view.

Have fun creating your colorful Easter bread pudding. Use your imagination to add items from your shelf such as mini marshmallows, nuts, dried fruit, or even ice cream sauces.
Happy Easter!

EASTER BREAD PUDDING

3-1/2 cups day-old French or Italian bread, cubed
2/3 cup chopped chocolate eggs (or chocolate of your choice)
1/2 cup chopped Bing cherries, raspberries, or strawberries (do not thaw if frozen)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavoring
1 tablespoon butter
Cinnamon-sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place bread cubes in 2-quart buttered baking dish. Mix in chopped chocolate and fruit. With electric mixer, beat eggs until foamy. Beat in sugar; mix in milk and flavoring. Pour egg mixture over bread. Dot with slivers of butter, then sprinkle on cinnamon-sugar. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve topped with whipped cream or topping. Serves 6-8.
© 2008, Recipe by Portia Little.