CHOCOLATE HOT CROSS PUDDING

YOU’LL NEED: Eight hot cross buns, 300ml chocolate milk, 3 medium eggs, a little butter, a large shallow ovenproof dish.

WHAT TO DO: Rub butter over sides and base of the dish. Slice the buns in half and arrange them, overlapping, in the dish.

In a saucepan, whisk the chocolate milk until it froths and then add the whisked eggs. Keep stirring for a couple of minutes until it thickens.

Pour the chocolate custard over the buns and bake at 180c for 35 minutes until the custard is bubbling and the buns are crisp on top. Eat with custard or cream.

VERDICT: I just love bread and butter pudding, so adding hot cross buns — bursting with fruit and spices — only enhances it, as does the chocolatey milk. But this pud is extremely heavy, so avoid serving it after a big meal. 8/10