Bread and Butter Pudding is a staple of British cooking. A historically simple affair, the dish allowed the thrifty cook to rely on pantry staples to dress up aging bread. The standard recipe relies on cinnamon and sultanas (raisins to American readers) as a flavour base, creating a pleasant and mildly sweet dish. This variation takes an alternative approach, using chocolate and apricots to provide an earthier and more intense flavour balanced with a slight tang from the fruit.
Ingredients
- 18 slices white bread (medium sliced)
- 4 eggs
- 700ml whole or semi-skimmed milk
- 100ml double or whipping cream
- 300g dried apricots
- 25g cocoa powder
- 50g granulated sugar
- Butter
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 180C.
- Remove crusts if using a crustier variety. Cut bread in triangular halves. Butter one side of six slices and arrange butter side up in a non-stick 9”x13”x2” baking pan.
- Chop half the apricots into strips. Spread evenly over the bread.
- Repeat with six more slices of bread and the remaining apricots. Try to align the triangles so that the diagonals line up between the bread layers.
- Butter and triangle the last six slices of bread and arrange as the top layer, again taking care to line up the cuts as well as possible.
- In a large glass bowl, combine the milk, cream, eggs, and sugar with a whisk. Add the cocoa powder and give a brief whisk - do not be alarmed if the cocoa does not immediately blend with the liquid.
- Place bowl the liquid mixture in the microwave and heat on medium high (power 70) for 2 mins.
- Whisk to combine. The liquids should now absorb most, if not all, of the cocoa. Additional heating may be necessary for full integration, although this is unnecessary.
- Pour the liquid over the bread and apricot mixture.
- Bake for 35 minutes (25 in a fan-assisted oven) or until the top layer turns golden brown and slightly crunchy.
Serving
A single serving is one triangular layer. Serve while warm in a bowl with poured custard or vanilla ice cream. Cover leftovers with cling film and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bread and butter pudding makes an excellent breakfast as well as a hearty dessert on cold days.
Variations
For a touch of additional sweetness and depth, sprinkle the top with vanilla sugar immediately before baking. For a floral touch, add 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom seeds to the liquid mixture. Spice fans can add 1/4 tsp. cinnamon or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the liquids. Whole wheat bread will add additional heartiness and nutrients.
Jonathon Collis - Author is based in London, England.
