Bread and butter pudding is a very delightful dessert which is made from very basic ingredients.The first time I made this was in second year of secondary school. I was 14 years of age and looking back it was pretty obvious bread and butter pudding earned a place in my heart. I was very taken by this delicious dessert and would always order it from the cantine in the factory I used to work in. (It was always freshly made, the chef was amazing!). Here I am, seven years later and still vowing on this dessert. Today I changed up the traditional use of bread to croissant instead. It definitely adds a unique 'patisserie' style to British cuisine.
Ingredients:
- 4oz of butter
-7oz of sugar
-1 Tsp of ground cinnamon
-1 Tsp of vanilla extract/ 1 vanilla bean
-5 large eggs (lightly beaten)
-750ml of heavy cream
- 12 croissants (slightly stale is okay)
-3.5 oz of raisins (optional)
-7 oz of small roughly chopped pieces of chocolate
Cream:
- 500ml of cream
- sugar
- vanilla extract
Step 1. Preheat oven to 180°C
Step 2. Mix butter and sugar until well blended. Add cinnamon and vanilla extract and blend again.while the mixer is on, add the eggs and then the cream. ( Make sure it is modes but do not over whip!)
Step 3. Lightly butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. ( A similar size will too once there is enough room to fit the croissants in with the egg mixture)
Step 4. Break. The croissants up into one inch pieces and layer on top of each other in the baking dish. In between layers add pieces of chocolate/raisins. Scatter some on top as well so it will look pretty after being baked :)
Step 5. Pour the egg mixture over the croissants evenly and leave soak for 10 minutes. You will need to gently push down on the croissants to absorb the egg mixture properly especially on top which will go dry the quickest once in the oven. This dish is best served moist so this step is very important.
Step 6. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Make sure it is cooked right through. (Raw egg is very bad for you so double this!) the croissant bread and butter pudding is ready when the custard is
set but still soft.
Step 7. Remove foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes if it needs to be browned on top.
For the cream:
I love cream but sometimes on its own I find it a bit tasteless so I add some sugar and vanilla extract to give it that but more flavour. Vanilla is considered such a 'plain Jane' flavour but I disagree. Vanilla beans are excellent here too but I am using the vanilla extract as I had it handy!
Step 1. Add cream to a bowl and mix until thick ( I prefer medium thick cream with this dessert)
Step 2. Add vanilla extract and keep tasting it until you are happy with it. Be careful with the amount added as vanilla extract had quite a strong taste. Keep tasting it as you go along to make sure it
doesn't get spoiled!
Step 3. Add some sugar as you mix until you think it tastes right
Serve the pudding warm with a dollop of cream ! :)
Other serving suggestions:
- Madagascar vanilla ice cream goes down a treat with this
- Bourbon drizzle (this is a mixture of slightly melted ice cream and bourbon)
-Place in individual serving dishes and garnish the plate
Enjoy the yummy dessert!
xoxo
