Le Pudding

We used to make this in the bakery when I was an apprentice, using all the leftover bits of bread, cake, croissant, pain aux raisins and pain au chocolat. I suppose it’s the French version of bread and butter pudding, but more dense and very more-ish. You need a good mix of leftover bread and patisserie. Leave to cool and eat as a snack or serve as a pudding with this Christmassy sticky toffee sauce.

By Richard Bertinet

Ingredients show imperial units

Serves 6

  • About 500g leftover bread, croissants, etc
  • 300g ready made custard
  • 200g sultanas

    Dried fruits

    Sultanas, currents, and raisins are all dried grapes of different varieties.

    • They are a healthy snack on their own or with nuts. They also work well for fruitcakes and Christmas pudding, biscuits and buns.
    • When re-hydrated in water, tea or alcohol they can be added to mousses, fools and ice creams.
    • Their natural sweetness works well with Indian and North African recipes.
    • Keep the fruits fresher by resealing them with bag clips or transfer them to airtight containers.
  • 4-5 tablespoons rum
  • Butter

    Butter

    Unsalted is better for cooking.

    Easy spread butter is ideal for sandwiches and toast.

    for greasing
For the sauce:
  • 125g butter

    Butter

    Unsalted is better for cooking.

    Easy spread butter is ideal for sandwiches and toast.

  • 50g dark brown sugar

    Sugar and Syrups

    Try having in stock caster sugar, muscavado, honey and golden syrup

    • Once opened ensure they are tightly resealed with quick clips or bag clips.
    • If you have got rock-hard brown sugar, crystallised honey/syrup, place in a suitable non-metallic bowl and give a quick blast of about 30 seconds on high in the microwave to bring these back to their normal state.
  • 2 tablespoons cream or crème fraiche

    Crème fraiche

    The French version of soured cream, it’s twice as rich, and thicker than the British version of sour cream.

    • It can be used to lace soups, sauces and stews or it can be spooned over puddings and stirred into sweet dishes. Great for adding to leftovers, as it is quite rich and can withstand being heated.
    • Plain full-fat yoghurt can be used instead of crème fraîche in cooking as long as you heat it gently – adding a little cornflour, which can help to prevent it from separating.
    • The best crème fraîche comes from a strictly controlled area of Normandy called Isigny-sur-Mer and it’s sold in larger supermarkets in the UK.
  • 50g sliced orange segments or sliced qumquats

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4.
  2. Put all the stale bread etc into a food processor with a paddle or whisk attachment and switch on to a slow speed until crumbed but still quite rough. Crumble by hand if you do not have a food processor.
  3. Transfer to a bowl and add the custard, sultanas and rum and mix to a creamy stodge. Line a deep tray with lightly buttered baking paper and pile in the mixture, but don’t smooth it too much on top, since you want it to be nice and crisp, with uneven peaks.
  4. Bake for 35-45 minutes until crisp and golden on top. Cut into chunks and make the sauce.
  5. For the sauce – put the butter in a small pan and melt over a low heat. Add the sugar, bring to the boil and then remove from the heat. Stir in the cream and add the sliced orange segments or sliced qumquats.
Rate it
* * * . .
Bread Bags