Source: Taste.com.au

Ingredients (11)​

• 6 chocolate hot cross buns
• 30g unsalted butter, softened
• 125g roughly chopped good-quality dark chocolate
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• 600ml thin cream
• 600ml thickened cream, plus extra to serve (optional)
• Zest of 1 orange
• 4 eggs
• 170g caster sugar
• 1/4 cup (60ml) brandy (optional)
• Icing sugar, to dust

Method​

1. Split the 6 chocolate hot cross buns and 30g unsalted butter, softened each half. Lay the bases in a 2-litre (8-cup) baking dish, sprinkle with the 125g roughly chopped good-quality dark chocolate, then place the bun tops on the bases.
2. Place the 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped in a saucepan with the 600ml thin cream600ml thickened cream, plus extra to serve (optional) and Zest of 1 orange, and heat over low heat until just simmering. Remove from the heat.
3. Beat the 4 eggs, 170g caster sugar and 1/4 cup (60ml) brandy (optional) until just combined, then pour into the warm cream, stirring continuously. Strain the custard evenly over the buns and set the pudding aside for 30 minutes for the buns to soak up some of the custard. (The pudding can be prepared to this stage several hours in advance and refrigerated - just bring to room temperature before baking.)
4. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 170°C.
5. Place the pudding dish in a large roasting pan and pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the pudding dish. Place in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the custard is set. Dust with Icing sugar, to dust and serve with extra cream if desired.