Recipe: Rhubarb & Custard Hot Cross Bun Pudding

4 hours ago

A seasonal treat to make over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend

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Bread and butter pudding sits at the heart of British comfort cooking, bridging the tail end of winter and the first signs of spring. Built on simple ingredients and a practical, no-waste mindset, it’s long made use of what’s on hand. By the 18th century, recipes combining stale bread with milk, cream and eggs were already being recorded, turning everyday ingredients into something far more substantial and filling. As sugar became more widely available, custard-based puddings grew richer, and dishes like this turned into something more indulgent.

Add the hot cross buns to bring another element – spiced, and fruit-studded buns have been enjoyed for centuries. Their advantage? Well, the soft, enriched crumb absorbs custard more readily than plain bread, and the spices and dried fruit give an added depth to the pudding. Using them in place of sliced loaf seems a fitting substitute for this time of year.

As Senior Brand Development Chef Will Torrent, says, ‘Unlike standard white bread, hot cross buns are made with an enriched dough containing higher levels of fat, sugar, and spices. The porous, buttery crumb acts like a sponge, allowing the custard to penetrate deeply without the bread becoming unpleasantly “mushy.” Additionally, the dried fruits and cross-topping provide texture to the pudding and the spices in the buns complement the creamy custard base.’

Rhubarb, meanwhile, marks the arrival of spring with much of the earliest crop coming from the Yorkshire Rhubarb Triangle, where rhubarb is grown in darkness to produce a more tender, less fibrous stalk with a brighter colour and slightly sweeter flavour. This method shortens the season and gives the fruit a delicacy that suits desserts well, and especially those with cream or custard.

As Waitrose Fruit & Horticulture Buyer Paula Giusti explains, ‘The colour of forced rhubarb is not indicative of its sweetness or tenderness. Slow and steady growth is key to the rhubarb maintaining its colour. Forced rhubarb owes its tenderness and sweet flavour to the forcing process. The plants are grown in complete darkness which prevents photosynthesis from occurring. This keeps the levels of oxalic acid (which gives rhubarb its tartness) low, meaning the plant uses its energy stores of glucose to grow, resulting in a sweeter, less tart flavour. Because the plant is growing indoors and in the dark, the lack of light combined with warmth causes it to reach for light resulting in thinner more tender stalks.’

Its sharpness also balances the richness of the custard and butter. Remember though, roasting the rhubarb first is key as it softens the fruit while allowing it to hold its shape, rather than collapsing into a puree as it would if stewed. It’s this contrast between soft fruit and set custard that gives the finished pudding more structure.

In this Waitrose recipe, the rhubarb is baked with orange and vanilla to take the edge off its acidity, then layered through buttered slices of hot cross bun and soaked in custard. As it cooks, the top turns golden while the centre stays soft enough to serve with a spoon. Using day-old buns matters here too as the slightly stale bread absorbs the custard more evenly, giving a soft squidgy middle.

Will adds, ‘Rhubarb is famous for its bold, “zingy” tartness, which can sometimes be a bit much on its own. Vanilla acts to balance this; its smooth, warm scent rounds off those sharp notes and makes the whole dish feel more comforting. The orange adds a fresh, citrusy sweetness that perfectly complements the rhubarb’s tang without overpowering it. Together, they are a match made in heaven.’