Apple Hot Cross Bun Brown Betty

This recipe is based on Sally Clarke’s Apple Brown Betty.

The flavour is much improved with the use of our spicy Hot Cross Bun for the breadcrumbs, not to mention the cute crisp discs with the cross, which is a bit like a biscuit to complete the presentation.

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg apples
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 80g sugar
• 6 Phillippa’s Hot Cross Buns
• 60g butter 
• 50g brown sugar
• Cream, whipped with cinnamon to serve

Method:

1. Peel, core and slice the apples, and cook gently with a little water and the cinnamon stick, until it becomes a smooth, thick puree. Sweeten with white sugar to taste.
2. Cut the bun in half. Cut a small disc from the top of each bun to capture the cross.
3. Spread the cut surfaces of the discs with butter, sprinkle them with a little sugar and grill butter side up for about eight minutes, until they are golden around the edges.
4. Blend the remainder of the bun tops to a coarse crumb. (Keep the remaining bun bases for toasting.)
5. Melt the butter, add the bun crumbs and stir continuously over a medium to high heat until toasted, crisp and fragrant. Remove from the heat and stir in the brown sugar.
6. To serve, spoon some warm apple puree into bowls, liberally sprinkle with the bun crumbs, and finish with the toasted crossed bun top. Serve with a bowl of sweetened cinnamon whipped pure cream.

Image by Kristoffer Paulsen.