We’re just wrapping up a glorious and much needed week off from work. We even managed to get away to Berlin for a few days, and it was great. I had never been to Germany before, and it was pretty impressive. I can’t wait to see more.
Of course, the weather has been terrible since we came back to Glasgow. Lucky for us, we’re quite content to snuggle up at home. Geoff plays video games. I watch TV and cook totally random things. I have discovered a new very old school English dessert that I think you’ll love. Hopefully I’ll be able to share it with you soon.
What I’ve made for you today comes, of course, from my kitchen idol, Nigella Lawson. This Caramel Croissant Bread Pudding is a simple and classy way to use up leftover croissants, but if you want to buy a two pack a couple days ahead of time just for this, it would be totally worth it.
This recipe is so simple that you could have friends over on a weeknight and present this as dessert. It’s sexy but also homey. They flaky croissants give you a gloriously burnished crispy top, but the underside is perfectly squidgy and indulgent. It’s not overly sweet, either. If you wanted to take it over the top, a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream would be a terrific idea.
I made this in two smaller dishes, but you could easily do it all in one larger dish. The next size up I had available was just a bit too big, so I went for this option. The first time I made these, we each ate one whole dish, and greedy as we are, it was a bit much. We split them the next time around, and that was more acceptable, but I was left wanting a few more bites. You do what makes you happy.
Make this Caramel Croissant Bread Pudding for you and a few people you really like. It can only make things better.
Caramel Croissant Bread Pudding
4 servings
15 minutes
20 minutes
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Ingredients
2 stale croissants
100 grams caster or superfine sugar
2 tablespoons water
125 ml double or heavy cream
125 ml whole milk
2 tablespoons spiced rum
2 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C (350F).
- Tear your croissant into two oval baking dishes (or one larger one), one croissant in each. Set these aside to dry out even more as you get on with your caramel custard.
- Add your sugar and water to a small sauce pan, and swirl it around to help dissolve the sugar a bit. Place your pan over medium heat, and no matter how much you want to don’t stir it. Eventually, it will start bubbling away. If it starts to look a bit crystallized, you can give it a gentle swirl, but don’t stick a spoon in there. Let it bubble away for about 3-5 minutes. You’re looking for a deep amber color.
- Once you’ve achieved peak amber, turn the heat down to low and add the cream. It will likely splutter furiously. Give it a whisk to smooth it out a bit. Continue whisking and add the milk and rum. If your caramel solidifies at all, just keep whisking gently over low heat until it dissolves. Remove from heat.
- In a mixing bowl or measuring jug, beat your eggs, then slowly drizzle in your caramel mixture, whisking all the while to prevent your eggs from scrambling. Keep whisking until everything is combined.
- Pour your custard mixture evenly over your croissants. Press the croissant pieces right down into the liquid, and allow this to hang out for about 10 minutes to let the bread soak up the custard.
- Bake your puddings in the oven for about 20 minutes or until puffed and golden. Serve warm
Recipe slightly adapted from Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson.
