Hot Cross Bun Pudding - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tbsp brown sugar
2 None medium pears, peeled, cored, sliced
1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
1 None vanilla bean, halved lengthways, seeds scraped out
4 None hot cross buns, thickly sliced
4 None large eggs
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
None None Ice cream or cream, to serve

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325\u00b0F. Lightly grease a 6-cup ovenproof dish.
In a medium skillet, combine brown sugar and 1 tbsp water. Heat on low, stirring, until sugar dissolves.
Add pear slices and simmer, uncovered, for 3-5 mins, until just tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
In a medium saucepan, bring milk, cream and vanilla bean and seeds to boiling point. Remove from heat. Cover and set aside for 5 mins. Discard vanilla bean.
Arrange buns and pears in alternate layers in prepared dish. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Gradually whisk in warm cream mixture.
Strain egg mixture carefully over buns and pears. Place dish in large roasting pan and pour enough boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the dish.
Bake for 55-60 mins, until set. Serve with ice cream or cream.