Bread and butter pudding with chocolate, pecans and bourbon caramel
The lure of a warm pudding is hard to resist when it’s cold outside, and a bread-and-butter pudding is a classic for a reason: custardy layers of bread baked until golden, just the right side of sweet.
I like using supermarket croissants for this: they’re affordable and not too rich, their lacy interiors soaking up the custard beautifully while the crusts stay crisp in the oven. My version here is boozy and a little chocolatey, with a hint of orange and a drizzle of bourbon caramel sauce. In other words, utterly irresistible.
Ingredients
600ml full-cream milk
170ml pure or thickened cream
100g caster sugar, divided
peel from 1 small orange
1 cinnamon stick
½ vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract
400g slightly stale croissant (9-10 small croissants)
50g toasted pecans, roughly chopped
70g dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
5 egg yolks (freeze the egg whites for another time)
¼ tsp fine sea salt
2 tbsp bourbon
pouring cream, to serve
FOR THE BOURBON CARAMEL
70g soft brown sugar
20g unsalted butter
50ml pure or thickened cream
1 tbsp bourbon
pinch of flaky sea salt
Method
Step 1
Combine the milk, cream, 50g of the sugar (a bit of sugar here stops the milk scorching on the bottom of the pan), orange peel, cinnamon stick and vanilla pod (or extract) in a medium saucepan and place over a low heat until just steaming; don’t allow it to come to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to infuse while you prepare the croissants.
Step 2
Cut the croissants crosswise into 1.5cm- to 2cm-thick slices and arrange half of them snugly in a single layer in an ovenproof dish about 26cm in diameter (you could use a 20cm x 30cm rectangular baking dish). Scatter over half the pecans and half the chocolate, then arrange a second layer of croissants on top. Scatter over the remaining pecans and chocolate and set aside, uncovered.
Step 3
To finish making the custard, whisk together the egg yolks, the remaining 50g of sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour over the warm milk mixture, whisking continuously. Stir in the 2 tbsp bourbon, then strain into a bowl (or the pan previously used for heating the milk). Discard the orange peel and cinnamon stick (the vanilla pod may be washed and dried and placed in a jar of sugar for another use), then slowly spoon the custard all over the prepared croissants. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to absorb.
Step 4
Heat the oven to 160C fan-forced (180C conventional). Bake the croissant pudding for about 35 minutes until golden and puffed up. To check if it’s done, insert the tip of a knife into the centre of the pudding and drag it back a little; the custard should be just set and not runny. Remove from the oven and place the dish on a wire rack to cool a little while you make the bourbon caramel.
Step 5
To make the bourbon caramel, stir the sugar and butter in a small pan over low heat until the sugar dissolves (about 2 minutes). Add the cream and simmer for 1-2 minutes until smooth and glossy, remove from heat and add the 1 tbsp bourbon and salt. Spoon the caramel over the pudding and serve warm, with pouring cream.
The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox.
Sign upContinue this edition
The August 16 EditionUp next
- Review
It’s impossible to go wrong at this hatted Chinese restaurant, but these are our go-tos
You could come to Nihao Kitchen every week for a year and still not plough your way through the menu.
- Review
This overlooked spot is perfect for dates and mates – and a stonking-good Sunday roast
This backstreet venue is still going strong after 10 years, serving lots of things we love to eat: anchovy toast, cacio e pepe and a spot-on sticky-date pud.
Previously
- Modern Guru
Pre-movie protocols: Is it OK to talk while the cinema ads are playing?
Our Modern Guru has compiled the chit-chat rules to separate your sins from those of the chip-packet-crinkler, constant-phone-peeker and row-squisher-past-er.
More:
Helen Goh is a chef and regular Good Weekend columnist.From our partners
Similar Recipes
The secret to perfect glossy brownies: Emelia Jackson’s best recipe
- 30 mins - 1 hr
- Emelia Jackson
