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Hot Cross Bun Ice Cream, You'll Really Lick It

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This hot cross bun ice cream will amaze you with its flavour. It tastes just like those delicious sweet Easter buns but in cool ice cream form without those icky chunks of bun you find in some recipes.

Using a method I picked up from a super friendly celebrity chef during my travels, this has become one of my favourite Easter treats. I adore the flavour of this ice cream. You can't buy anything close to it commercially, and it always surprises people when they try it (in a good way).

I hope you enjoy eating and making my creamy hot cross bun ice cream as much as I do.

Sara xxx

ice cream scooped into a waffle cone with ice cream and scoop next to it and more cones
What's in this post

Ingredients

  • Hot Cross Buns: The buns are the flavour base of the ice cream make sure you buy awesome tasting ones.
  • Full Cream Milk: Use full cream milk, low fat.
  • Single / Pouring Cream: Thin pouring cream, again go full fat.
  • Vanilla Bean Paste: You can scrape out the seeds from a vanilla bean or use vanilla extract if you prefer.
  • Eggs: Free range if you can. Happy chooks make happy eggs, happy eggs make happy food.
  • Caster / Superfine Sugar: Don't use sugar substitutes in this recipe.
hand holding a waffle cone and hot cross ice cream being scooped into it

Recipe origins

A rather cool and clever American chef called Wylie Dufresne shared a cooking technique with me. There was a very popular dish on the menu at his then restaurant, WD-50 (now closed), in Manhattan.

This dish was called Everything Bagel. The bagel in his savoury dish was made from ice cream. Wylie shared with me how he made the bagel ice cream. His method is so easy and faultless in getting true flavour into ice cream.

My visit to WD-50 and meeting Wylie was the inspiration for my hot cross bun ice cream.

scoop scooping out ice cream from a tub

The tick to the amazing flavour

You will be amazed at the flavour of this ice cream. You achieve a true hot cross bun flavour by using the method of infusion.

By infusing the milk and cream with the flavour from actual hot cross buns you achieve a flavour you can’t easily recreate with spices and ingredients.

You capture the entire bun flavour. By infusing the liquids you capture subtle notes of yeast, freshly baked buns, the whole essence of an actual hot cross bun.

By using this method I avoid having any chunks of bun in the ice cream. You will find actual bun added to other recipes trying to achieve a hot cross bun flavour.

two waffle cones with ice cream on a wooden board

Original recipe

This recipe originally appeared on Belly Rumbles back in 2010. The original recipe used five egg yolks, leaving you with five egg whites to either freeze for later use, or make a hell of a lot of meringue. The original recipe is luxuriously rich, creamy, and extremely delicious.

Over the years I came up with a revamped hot cross bun ice cream that uses less eggs. The original hot cross bun ice cream recipe is also in the recipe card with my revamped one.

My new revamped recipe uses fewer eggs, two whole eggs, and two egg yolks. The original recipe included sultanas. I omit them from the new recipe for those that don’t have a love for dried fruit.

With fewer egg yolks in the recipe, the ice cream isn’t as rich as the original. It is a lighter version but still packed with hot cross bun flavour.

hand holding an ice cream cone with scoops of hot cross bun ice cream

Recipe walkthrough

  1. I recommend starting this recipe the day before for full flavour development.
  2. Break up the hot cross buns in a bowl and pour over the milk and the cream and give it a stir through. Place this mixture in the fridge for a few hours. Leave overnight for a full flavour result.
  3. Use a fine sieve to gently strain the mixture and then place the leftover soggy bun mixture in muslin/cheesecloth and gently squeeze out the excess liquid. Discard the leftover soggy bun mix. You do not want any of the hot cross buns left in your milk/cream mixture.
  4. Measure your infused milk/cream mixture and add more full cream milk until you have 600ml of liquid.
  5. Bring the infused milk/cream mixture and vanilla bean paste to a simmer in a heavy-based saucepan.
  6. Place another saucepan on the stove filled halfway with water in it, bring to the boil.
  7. In the meantime whisk the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar, in a large bowl, until pale and combined.
  8. Whisk milk/cream mixture into the egg mixture and place bowl over a large saucepan with simmering water.
  9. Cook over moderate heat continually stirring until the mixture thickens and will coat the back of a spoon.
  10. Strain mixture into a bowl or jug, and place in the fridge to chill.
  11. Once chilled churn the mixture in your ice cream machine as per the manufacturer's instructions.
  12. Place hot cross bun ice cream in a container and into your freezer. This recipe will make 600ml of ice cream.

Printable Recipe

Hot Cross Bun Ice Cream

Recipe Author: Sara McCleary
The perfect Easter Ice Cream. All the family will love this and it is very easy to get the perfect hot cross bun flavour into your ice cream. Impress your guests!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Easter, Ice Cream &amp
Cuisine Belly Rumbles Original
Servings 20 serves
Calories 90 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 hot cross buns
  • 300 ml full cream milk
  • 300 ml single cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 125 grams caster sugar
  • extra full cream milk

Instructions
 

  • It is best to start this recipe the day before for full flavour development.
  • Break up the hot cross buns in a bowl and pour over the milk and the cream and give it a stir through. Place this mixture in the fridge for a few hours, best left over night.
  • Use a fine sieve to gently strain the mixture and then place the left over soggy bun mixture in muslin/cheese cloth or even a new clean chux and gently squeeze out the excess liquid. Discard the left over soggy bun mix. You do not want any of the bun in your milk/cream.
  • Measure your infused milk/cream mixture and add more full cream milk until you have 600ml of liquid.
  • Bring the infused milk/cream mixture and vanilla bean paste to a simmer in a heavy based saucepan.
  • Place another saucepan on the stove filled half way with water in it, bring to the boil
  • In the meantime whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar, in a large bowl, until pale and combined.
  • Whisk milk/cream mixture into the egg mixture and place bowl over saucepan with simmering water.
  • Cook over a moderate heat continually stirring until the mixture thickens and will coat the back of a spoon.
  • Strain mixture into a bowl or jug, and place in the fridge to chill.
  • Once chilled churn mixture in your ice cream machine as per the manufacturers instructions.
  • Either serve immediately or place in a container in your freezer for later use. Will make 600ml of ice cream.

Oven Temperatures

All oven temperatures are fan forced.

Measurement Notes

All measurements are Australian metric standard. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified. 1 teaspoon = 5ml / 1 tablespoon = 20mls / 1 cup = 250ml /4 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.

Recipe Notes

Original Rich & Luscious Hot Cross Bun Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
  • 2 hot cross buns
  • 300 ml low fat milk
  • 300 ml single/pouring cream
  • 1 vanilla bean split
  • 100 grams caster sugar
  • handful of sultanas
 
Method
  1. Break up the hot cross buns in a bowl and pour over the milk and the cream and give it a stir through. Place this mixture in the fridge for a few hours.
  2. Use a fine sieve to gently strain the mixture and then place the leftover soggy bun mixture in muslin/cheesecloth or even a new clean chux and gently squeeze out the excess liquid. Discard the leftover soggy bun mix. You do not want any of the bun in your milk/cream.
  3. Bring the infused milk/cream mixture and vanilla bean to the simmer in a heavy-based saucepan.
  4. In the meantime whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and combined.
  5. Whisk milk/cream mixture into the egg mixture and then return to the saucepan and to the stovetop.
  6. Cook over moderate heat continually stirring until the mixture thickens and will coat the back of a spoon.
  7. Strain mixture into a bowl, add a handful of sultanas and place in the fridge to chill.
  8. Once chilled strain out the sultanas and reserve before placing the custard mixture into the ice cream maker. (This just allows the sultanas to plum up a little)
  9. Churn the mixture in your ice cream machine as per the manufacturer's instructions.
 
GENERAL COOK’S NOTES
All oven temperatures are for a conventional oven, if using fan forced lower the temperature by 20 Deg C (70 Deg F).
All measurements are Australian tablespoons and cups. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified;
  • 1 teaspoon equals 5ml
  • 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml (Nth America, NZ & UK use 15ml tablespoons)
  • 1 cup equals 250ml (Nth America use 237ml)
  • 4 teaspoons equals 1 tablespoon
  • I use the below unless specified in my recipes;
Herbs are fresh | Vegetables are of a medium size | Eggs are roughly 60 grams in weight (large) 
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION BELOW IS A GUIDE ONLY
 

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

The recipe's nutritional information is an approximation based on an online calculator. It is meant solely for reference purposes. If you're looking for precise details, be sure to double-check with your own research.

Calories: 90kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 19mgPotassium: 43mgSugar: 7gVitamin A: 226IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg
Did You Make This Recipe?I do a happy dance when people share how they went. Tag me on Instagram @bellyrumbles & #bellyrumbles

More Frozen Delights

If you like quirky ice cream flavours do check out my Vegemite Ice Cream, trust me it is better than it sounds. There is a Popsicle and Ice Cream section on the site with some great recipes. Some of my favourites are below.

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Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Jo

    I am in awe at how far you've come since we first met. I am so proud of you my lovely. Keep those terrific recipes coming. I have learned so much from them Xxx

    Reply

    • Sara

      Thanks gorgeous, big hugs xxx

  2. shirley

    Looks delicious however, who has left-over hot cross buns? Not in our house. We're traditionalists and only eat these delicious buns at Easter so there's never any leftovers. But I'll save this recipe (just in case....)

    Reply

  3. Bec

    This ice cream sounds amazing!!!!! I miss hot cross buns already!

    Reply

    • Sara

      Thanks Bec, it really is a tasty ice cream. Don't worry they will be back again next year. Though I am sure you can buy them in some supermarkets for at least 6 months......

  4. Johanna @ Green Gourmet Giraffe

    thanks for visiting my blog -and wow this ice cream looks amazing (and yes your photos are amazing - looks like you have learnt a lot since your first photos of the ice cream and I always appreciate less eggs in any recipe).. I really love how you get the hot cross bun favour in the cream (and have also admired your vegemite ice cream

    Reply

    • Sara

      Thank you so much Johanna for your kind words.

  5. THE HUNGRY MUM

    Oh Sara you devil woman- this looks utterly delectable. The gals would wolf this down in a jiffy #runsOffToBuyMoreHotXBuns

    Reply

    • Sara

      LOL! It is pretty delicious. As if we needed another excuse to buy more hot cross buns.

  6. Choc Chip Uru

    Your ice cream looks so perfect for Easter, and is SUPER creative 😀
    Hope you had a wonderful long weekend!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

    Reply

    • Sara

      Thanks so much, it would have to be the perfect Easter ice cream I think 😉

  7. Tania @My Kitchen Stories

    Sara this is gorgeous. you have come a very long way with your photography, it's astonishing. happy Easter.

    Reply

    • Sara

      Thank you so much for the lovely photo comment Tania. Hope you had a lovely Easter.

  8. Martine @ Chompchomp

    This is the perfect way to satisfy a Coeliac! I love this idea, and can nearly smell the spice just reading your post. Wishing you a wonderful Easter break xxxx

    Reply

    • Sara

      Thanks Martine, I hope you had a wonderful Easter.

  9. Gourmet Getaways

    Mmmm...great refreshing flavour for an oce cream. And yes, perfect for ice cream.

    Julie & Alesah
    Gourmet Getaways xx

    Reply

    • Sara

      Thanks guys

  10. Mr C @ The Food Diary

    Damn that looks good, I love ice cream of any sort!

    Reply

    • Sara

      Thank you, it really is a super tasty ice cream

  11. Gaby

    I thought it would be ice cream with hot cross bun flavours, not with the actual buns in it! 🙂

    Reply

    • Sara

      Yup, you infuse the 'custard' with the buns, the buns are taken out, they don't stay in there for the ice cream churning process. But it does add a real hot cross bun flavour to them.

  12. Lizzy (Good Things)

    And PS have a lovely Easter xox

    Reply

    • Sara

      Thanks Liz!

  13. Lizzy (Good Things)

    Gorgeous recipe, gorgeous photos... when you swing by my place, please bring some xo

    Reply