Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas 4. Grease a round 25cm ovenproof baking dish. Stand each hot cross bun on its side and using a sharp knife slice into 1cm thick slices before spreading one side of each slice with 50g of the butter. Arrange some of the slices around the edge of the baking dish so that they overlap slightly.2. Next add a layer of pear slices around the buns, overlapping slightly. Continue layering the bun slices and pear around the dish until you finish in the centre. Drain the cherries and scatter half the jar evenly over the buns, using your fingers to push them in between the layers.
3. Beat the eggs, milk, cream and caster sugar in a large bowl then pour evenly over the bun slices and leave to absorb for 15 minutes.
4. Place the dish in a large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until egg mixture is just set. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
5. Meanwhile, empty half a jar of stem ginger and its syrup into a blender and blitz until smooth. Pour into a pan over a high heat and bring to the boil until thickened before adding the remaining butter and stirring until melted. Pour syrup over the bun slices then leave for a further 5-10 minutes before serving.
Tip: Use a mandolin to achieve enviably thin slices of pear for your rosette layering.
Ingredients
• 6 hot cross buns
• 120g butter, softened
• 1 large pear, cored, peeled and thinly sliced lengthways
• 1 jar Opies Black Cherries with Kirsch
• 1 jar Opies Stem Ginger in Syrup
• 6 eggs
• 200ml milk
• 300ml double cream
• 75g caster sugar
• 110g brown sugar
