A typical UK dessert, bread and butter pudding is very popular and can be prepared in a number of ways. The basic recipe is pretty easy to do. The more elaborate variants take more time and work, but the results are worth every effort. Any recipe you try will allow you to make a great impression.
Ingrediants
Basic Recipe
- 25 g softened butter (and a little more to grease the pan)
- 8 thin slices of bread
- 50 g of sultanas or raisins
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 350 ml of whole milk
- 50 ml of liquid cream
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) of granulated sugar
- Ground nutmeg (to taste)
Variants
- 5 small round rolls, such as brioche bread
- 5 tablespoons of softened butter
- 75 g of sultanas
- 800 ml of whole milk
- 800 ml of heavy cream
- A pinch of fine sea salt
- 2 vanilla pods, cut lengthwise
- 5 eggs
- 300 g of granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) of powdered sugar to sprinkle the pudding
Salsa (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (40 g) of apricot jam
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Basic Recipe
Step 1. Lightly grease a baking sheet with butter
You can also sprinkle it with extra-fine sugar.
Step 2. Prepare the bread
To start, cut the crust, then spread the (softened) butter on one side of each slice. Cut each slice 2 times to get 4 triangles.
Step 3. Make a single layer with the slices of bread, with the buttered side facing up
Do not overlap or squeeze them. The remaining bread is used to form the other layers.
Step 4. Lay the sultanas or raisins on the bread to create an even layer, then sprinkle with cinnamon
If you don't like sultanas or raisins (or can't find them), you can use another type of dried fruit.
Step 5. Make another layer of bread, raisins and cinnamon until all slices are finished
Make sure you always face the buttered side up. The last layer must be made up exclusively of bread, without adding grapes or cinnamon.
Step 6. Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan
Mix them well and heat them over low heat. The liquid must not come to a boil: let it cook until steam starts to come out of the saucepan. In the meantime, you can prepare the egg cream.
Step 7. Break 2 eggs into a bowl and add ¾ of sugar (the leftover is used later)
Beat them with a whisk until the mixture is clear: the yolks and egg whites should mix completely.
Step 8. Slowly add the milk, stirring with a whisk as you go
Don't pour it too quickly, or you risk cooking the eggs. This will make the pudding cream.
Step 9. Strain the cream into a clean bowl with the help of a colander, which will collect all the parts of cooked eggs
Throw the entire contents of the colander in the trash.
Step 10. Pour the cream over the bread, then sprinkle the remaining sugar and nutmeg on the top
Make sure that the cream covers the bread evenly, so that it is well impregnated. Use as much nutmeg as you like.
Step 11. Let the pudding rest for 30 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the cream and mix the different flavors well
Step 12. Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 180 ° C for 30-40 minutes
The cream should thicken and the surface turn golden.
Step 13. Once ready, take it out of the oven with the help of a pair of gloves
Place the pan on a heat-resistant surface and let the pudding cool for a few minutes.
Method 2 of 2: Variants
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 160 ° C and prepare a 20 x 30 x 5 cm baking pan by lightly greasing it with butter
Make sure you place the grill in the center of the oven.
Step 2. Prepare the bread
Cut the sandwiches into slices about 3 cm thick. Then, butter only one side of each slice.
You can choose any type of soft, round bun, such as brioche
Step 3. Place the slices of bread on the bottom of the pan with the buttered side facing up
Create several uniform and neat layers.
Step 4. Sprinkle some raisins on the surface of the bread
If you don't like it or can't find it, you can substitute it with raisins, used for many variations of bread and butter pudding. Once the preparation is complete, set the pan aside.
Step 5. In a large saucepan, combine milk, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla
Pour in the milk and heavy cream first, then mix them. Add the salt and mix again. Cut the vanilla pods lengthwise, then remove the seeds with the help of a knife and let them fall directly back into the pot. Mix all the ingredients once again with a whisk.
Step 6. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately remove it from the stove
Stir it often to keep it from sticking to the bottom. Once it comes to a boil, remove the pot from the heat and turn off the gas.
Step 7. Break the eggs into a large bowl and add the sugar
Beat the ingredients with a whisk until the yolks and whites are well combined. You should get a pale yellow mixture. It will take about 1 minute.
Step 8. Slowly pour 250ml of milk over the egg mixture
Do not pour it all at once, proceed step by step to allow the eggs to warm up gradually, without cooking. This will allow you to obtain a smooth and homogeneous cream.
Step 9. Pour the rest of the milk mixture over the eggs by whisking it gently, then strain the cream into a large bowl with the help of a fine mesh strainer
Discard any lumps that remain in the colander.
Step 10. Pour the cream into the pan
Since the bread will come to the surface, press it down with a spatula or spoon - it should absorb the cream and settle to the bottom. Try not to crush it or make it break.
Step 11. Place the first pan in a larger pan
Pour in some water, calculating about 3 cm. The water, which will surround the first pan, will favor a more homogeneous cooking.
Step 12. Place the pan carefully in the oven, trying not to let the water fall
Let the pudding cook for 30 minutes, then press any slices of bread that have surfaced with a spoon or spatula. The pudding will be ready when the cream has become thick and soft, but it should continue to be shaky in the middle.
Step 13. Once cooked, take it out of the oven and place the pan on a cake cooling rack
Let it cool slightly.
Step 14. You can accompany it with a delicious sauce
In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons (40 g) of apricot jam and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water over medium heat. Mix them with a fork or a small whisk until the jam has liquefied: it will take about 1 minute. Once ready, spread it over the pudding with a pastry brush.
While not a necessary step, the sauce will make the pudding even tastier
Step 15. Remove the pudding from the larger pan and sprinkle with icing sugar before serving
Leave it in the pan used for cooking and serve it while it is hot.
Advice
- When you take it out, sprinkle an extra handful of sultanas on it and bake it for another 5 minutes. Serve it with apricot or raspberry sauce.
- Sultanas and raisins are interchangeable to prepare this dessert.
