Leftover hot cross buns are ideal to turn into a festive dessert or special treat. This rich chocolate mousse is best made a day ahead, giving you a head-start when it comes to serving. When hot cross buns are no longer around, try using brioche or panettone.
6 Farro hot cross buns, ideally a day or two old
50g Lewis Road Creamery lightly salted butter, melted
3 Tbsp demerara sugar
For the chocolate mousse:
300ml Lewis Road Creamery Cream
200g dark chocolate (55% cocoa or more), chopped
1 Tbsp brandy (optional)
50g sugar
2 Tbsp water
2 egg whites
Icing sugar or cocoa to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a tray with baking paper
Slice the hot cross buns horizontally into 5mm slices – you should get about 4 out of each bun. Cut the slices into 5-6cm rounds and place on the prepared tray. Brush both sides with the melted butter and sprinkle over the sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool
In a medium bowl, whip half the cream (150ml) into soft peaks. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the mousse
Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a separate bowl or saucepan, bring the remaining cream to the boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and leave to sit for a minute, then stir to combine and set aside to cool slightly
Stir in the brandy, if using
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to the boil without stirring. Boil for 3 minutes, or until the syrup reaches 120°C. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks using an electric beater. Once the syrup has reached temperature, pour it slowly into the egg whites, beating constantly until the mixture is glossy and meringue-like
Gently fold a third of the meringue into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining meringue and whipped cream until just combined. Cover the mousse and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours, but preferably overnight
When the mousse has set, take a large spoonful and sandwich it between two biscuits. Dust with icing sugar or cocoa powder to serve. For a tidier presentation, use a spatula to smooth the edges of the mousse
You may end up with more mousse than you need, but it’s unlikely to go to waste! The hot cross bun biscuits can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days
Cook’s notes Turn your hot cross bun offcuts into breadcrumbs! These can be frozen and used later to jazz up a fruit crumble or to top our caramel-filled eggs