Hot cross bun ice cream

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This hot cross bun ice cream is a yummy twist on traditional hot cross buns with a crunchy hot cross bun topping. It has all the wonderful spices you love in hot cross buns with plump sultanas and tangy mixed peel.

I have a funny relationship with sultanas, I can't stand them on their own. I always buy fruit free muesli and have been know to pick out the sultanas and transfer them to by best friends plate if faced with a bowl of regular muesli 😀

If they are mixed into ice cream or baked goods they are fine. I will happily eat sultanas in ice cream, be in this one or my ice cream Christmas pudding, any kind of seasonal baking such as hot cross buns or mince tarts.

To make the hot cross bun ice cream

Pour the milk and cream into a small saucepan. Add spices. Simmer over a low heat until warmed through, about five minutes.

If you are using a double boiler for this recipe put the or pot on first to boil.

Seperate yokes from whites and put aside for another recipe, such as my easy meringues. Add yokes and brown sugar to a bowl and beat until pale brown.

Add milk, cream a spice mix to eggs and sugar slowly, mixing well between additions. Transfer mix to double boiler if using.

I like this one which fits nicely into one of my regular pots. You can make the ice cream with out it, but you will need to have the heat on very low and watch it carefully to prevent the eggs scrambling.

Cook until mix coats the back of a spoon or spatular, stiring frequently. Cool mix for a few minutes.

Hot tip: you can stand the double boiler in a colander for a few minutes to help the mix cool down, especially if using a round bottomed double boiler.

Add vanilla essence and salt, mix well. Transfer mix to a heat proof container and chill throughly, preferably overnight.

Before churning ice cream put your storage container into the freezer to chill. This will help stop your ice cream melting so fast after churning and prevent larger ice crystals forming on refreezing.

Put your sultans and mixed peel into a heat proof bowl and cover with about a cup of boiling water to make them plump and juicy. Drain well just before adding to ice cream.

If using a self churning machine turn it on about ten minutes before churning to chill, otherwise take your bowl out of the freezer just before churning.

Churn ice cream in churner. Unlike some of my other ice cream recipes this a relatively small mix so I find it only takes about fifteen minutes to churn. Transfer to chilled container, mixing through rehydrated sultanas and mixed peel as your transfer it into the container. It will be the consistency of soft serve when done. Freeze overnight to firm up

To make the hot cross bun crumb

Preheat oven to (220C). Break up hot cross but into small pieces onto a baking tray and space out well. This a great one for using up stale hot cross buns. Melt butter and brush over pieces.

Bake for five minutes untill starting to turn golden brown, then turn off over and leave for a further five minutes to dry out.

Remove from oven and cool. Add to a small food processor with brown sugar and blitz until forms lovely crunchy crumbs. Do not over blitz, a few larger pieces is find. If you don't have a food processor you can give the pieces a bash in bowl with the end of rolling pin, just be careful not to cover the kitchen with crumbs!

This also goes well to liven up regular ice cream such as vanilla or chocolate 🙂

To serve the ice cream

Remove ice cream from freezer a few minutes before serving to soften up. Scoop into bowls and sprinkle over hot cross bun crumb.

Eat and enjoy!

Have you made this recipe? I'd love to know how it went in the comments below.

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Hot cross bun ice cream

Prep Time1 hr

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Australian

Keyword: creme anglaise ice cream base, custard based ice cream, Easter, Hot cross bun, Hot cross bun ice cream

Servings: 17 oz (500ml)

Equipment

• ice cream churner
• Hand beaters or stand mixer
• Mini food processor

Ingredients

Hot cross bun ice cream

• 1 cup (250ml) thickened cream
• 1 cup (250ml) full cream milk
• ½ cup (80gms) firmly packed brown sugar
• 4 large egg yokes
• ½ cup (70gms) sultanas or raisins
• ¼ cup (40gms) mixed peel *optional
• 1 tablespoon mixed spice
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 pinch salt

Hot cross bun crumb (optional)

• 1 hot cross bun *day old is fine
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

Hot cross bun ice cream

• If using a double boiler put water on to boil
• Pour milk, cream and spices into a small saucepan. Simmer on low until warm.
• Seperate egg yokes, put aside egg whites for another recipe (such as my meringues)
• Place egg yokes into a medium bowl with brown sugar. Beat until pail brown
• Slowly add warm milk, cream a spice mix to egg yokes and sugar mix, stiring well between each addition.
• Add ice cream mix to double boiler. Cook on low heat, stiring frequently until mix thickens up and coats the back of a spoon or spatular.
• *You can use a small saucepan if you don't have a double boiler but you will have to have it on very low and watch it closely to ensure the eggs don't scramble.
• Once thick enough remove from heat and allow to cool. Add vanilla essence and salt, mix in well. Put in a heat proof container and chill throughly, ideally over night.
• Put ice cream storage container in the freezer to chill.
• Just before churning ice cream rehydrate sultanas or raisins and mixed peel. Put in a head proof container and cover with one cup of boiling water. Allow to stand for fifteen minutes, then drain throughly.
• If using a self refrigerating machine turn on ten minutes before churning ice cream, other wise take bowl out of freezer just before churning.
• Churn until done. This is a smaller recipe so may only take about fifteen minutes, depending on your churner.
• Once ice cream is churned add to chilled storage container, mixing in rehydrated fruit as you go so its well mixed in. You will need to work quickly to prevent the ice cream melting to much.
• Freezer overnight or until desired firmness is reached.

To make the Hot cross bun crumb

• Pre heat an over to 420°F (220°C)
• Break up hot cross bun in to small pieces and place onto a baking tray.
• Melt butter and brush hot cross bun pieces
• Bake for five mins, then turn off over and leave in oven for a further five minutes
• Allow to cool, then blitz with brown sugar until crunchy crumbs are formed. Do not over blitz

To serve the ice cream

• Take hot cross bun ice cream out of freezer for a few minutes to soften up
• Scoop ice cream into bowls or cones and top with hot cross bun crumb
• Eat and enjoy!

Notes

You can use sultanas or raisins in this recipe for a traditional taste, or experiment with any other dried fruit you like.  

The mixed peel is optional but I think it gives the ice cream a lovely fresh tang.

If making the ice cream for adults you could add a tablespoon of alcohol such as brandy to the hot water when rehydrating the fruit for an extra kick of flavour.  

The hot cross bun crumb is optional but again gives this dish a lovely crunchy element and is a great way to use up stale hot cross buns.  The crumb is also delicious on regular ice cream such as vanilla or chocolate.  

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