Custard two-ways

Today was grandparents day at my daughter's school. It's her final one actually as she is in Year 6. My Dad dutifully attends this event every year. He takes the morning off work, rocks up in his suit, eats his hot-cross bun and heads back to the office. My parents live an hour away and it's a rather convoluted trip to the office.

Anyway I had bought some mini pastry cases with a view to making some custard tarts one day and what is one of my Dad's favourite cake-shop treats from his childhood? Yes, the custard tart so last night I made a batch of custard up for custard tarts.

Of course because mine were mini tarts and we had leftover custard so I decided to make bread and butter pudding with the remains. Not just any bread and butter pudding mind you - choc chip hot cross bun bread and butter pudding!

So we had the pudding after dinner and today the lunchbox had custard tarts for my daughter and her grandfather!

Custard
3 eggs
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste or the beans from 1/2 a vanilla pod
2 3/4 cups milk.

1. Whisk all together in a large bowl.

Custard Tarts
12 pre-made mini tart shells (I used Sara Lee)
1/2 quantity of custard
nutmeg to sprinkle on top.

1. Fill pastry cases with custard.
2. Sprinkle with nutmeg
3.Bake till set, about 20 minutes.

Choc Chip Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding
4 choc chip hot cross buns
1/2 serve of custard
1/2 cup walnuts

1. Slice hot cross buns and arrange in a casserole dish
2. Pour over custard
3. Scatter over walnuts.
4. Bake in moderate oven 30-35 minutes
5. Serve with ice-cream or whipped cream.

Enjoy!