Angela Day
In days of austerity bread and butter pudding was a way of using up stale bread, and even though a really basic pudding, made with slices of either white or brown bread slathered with butter and jam can taste really good, you can elevate the taste by using gourmet breads like panettone, hot cross buns and even croissants.
These puddings can be made in individual dishes or one large dish. For individual puddings you can choose to serve them turned out on to a plate, as I have done with the fig pudding, or serve them in the ramekins.
It is important to leave the puddings to stand with the egg custard mixture poured over them for at least half an hour, so that the bread or buns have time to absorb as much liquid as possible.
Hot cross bun pudding
Serves 6-8
4 hot cross buns
60g butter
1-2 bananas, peeled and sliced
125ml chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
250ml cream
250ml milk
4 eggs
125ml caster sugar
5ml vanilla extract
3ml ground cinnamon
icing sugar for sifting
Cut each hot cross bun into three slices. Butter each.
Stack the slices of bun, overlapping, in an ovenproof baking dish.
Tuck the slices of banana between the buns and scatter over the chocolate chips.
Beat together the cream, milk, eggs, caster sugar, vanilla and cinnamon.
Pour this over the pudding and leave for 30 minutes for the mixture to get absorbed by the buns. Bake at 180degC for 30 to 40 minutes or until the pudding is set.
Serve warm, sifted with the icing sugar.
Panettone fig and pistachio pudding
Makes 4
8 slices of panettone
50g butter
6-8 figs, thinly sliced
60ml pistachio nuts
3 eggs
80ml caster sugar
125ml milk
250ml cream
5ml vanilla extract
custard for serving
Cut the panettone slices with a cookie cutter to fit the size ramekin you have. Spread each slice with some butter.
Place one slice in the base of a ramekin dish that has been lined with a disc of baking paper and greased.
Top with slices of fig and sprinkle with a few pistachio nuts. Add another slice of panettone. Repeat with the remaining panettone figs and nuts.
Beat together the eggs, caster sugar, milk, cream and vanilla. Pour the mixture over the ramekins. Set aside to soak in. Top up if necessary. Place the ramekins in a roasting tin.
Pour in boiling water to come halfway up the side of the ramekins. Bake at 180degC for 30 to 40 minutes until set.
Remove and cool slightly. Run a knife around the edge of the pudding and turn out on to a serving plate. Serve with custard and garnish with extra sliced figs.
Sunday Tribune