Caramel Croissant Bread and Butter Pudding

Technically this is a bread and butter pudding, i.e. that croissants are bread made from butter, but it far more decadent than any normal bread and butter pudding. Traditionally a bread and butter pudding is a thrifty way to stretch ingredients such as stale bread and still come up with a delicious dish. Its origins can be traced back to a dish called ‘White Pot’ which has sometimes has used rice instead of bread and marrow instead of butter and the first recorded mention of it was in a recipe by John Nott from 1723.

This recipe for Bread and Butter Pudding uses stale croissants, if such things exist in your house. Its a big temptation to have them lying around in mine. Instead of a simple custard for the filling, a caramel is made as the base for the custard, which ends up with a very indulgent pudding.

Croissants

Ingredients

• 6 stale croissants
• 10oz (300g) sugar
• 6 tbsp (100ml) of water
• 8oz (250ml) of heavy cream
• 8oz (250ml) of milk
• 6 tbsp (100ml) of Scotch or bourbon
• 6 eggs, lightly mixed eggs

Method

1. First pre-heat your oven to 180C (360F)
2. Tear the croissants roughly into pieces and put them in a oven proof dish.
   

   Stale torn croissants

3. Mix together the eggs, milk and cream and set aside.
4. Pour the sugar and water into a pan over medium to high heat. Gently swirl to dissolve the sugar, but do not stir.
5. Allow the sugar / water mixture to bubble away until it caramelizes to a deep golden colour. Do not be tempted to stir. It will take about 4 or 5 minutes to caramelize.
   

   Melting the sugar to make caramel

6. Turn the heat to low and add the Scotch or bourbon if you prefer while whisking at the same time. The caramel my turn stiff and solid at this stage, but keep whisking and it will dissolve again.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg mixture, while continuing to whisk.
   

   Caramel custard

8. Pour the caramel custard over the croissants and allow to soak for a few minutes.
9. Bake for about 20 mins and serve on its own or with cream.

Croissant bread and butter pudding