The best bread & butter pudding

Name: The best bread & butter pudding
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 80 g dried cherries; 2 tbsp white rum; 350 ml whole milk; 250 ml double cream; 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out; 4 British Blacktail Free Range Large Eggs; 50 g soft light brown sugar; 400 g sliced brioche loaf (or other brioche, cut into 1.5cm slices); 40 g salted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing; 75 g dark chocolate, finely chopped; 1 tbsp demerara sugar

Martha Collison's nostalgic pudding has buttery brioche, rich vanilla custard, a surprise pop of fruity tartness from rum-soaked cherries and bitter pockets of dark chocolate to round it out.

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Vegetarian

Serves8
CourseDessert
Prepare15 mins
Cook40 mins
Total time55 mins
Plussoaking

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80g dried cherries
2 tbsp white rum
350ml whole milk
250ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
4 British Blacktail Free Range Large Eggs
50g soft light brown sugar
400g sliced brioche loaf (or other brioche, cut into 1.5cm slices)
40g salted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
75g dark chocolate, finely chopped
1 tbsp demerara sugar

Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4 and generously grease a large (approx 2L, 18x26cm) ovenproof baking dish with butter.
Place the cherries into a small ramekin and pour over the rum. Allow to soak for at least 30 minutes or microwave for 30 seconds to speed up the process.
Add the milk, cream, vanilla pod and the seeds to a small saucepan, then warm over a medium heat until steaming. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and light brown sugar in a large jug until smooth.
Remove the vanilla pod from the hot milk and cream mixture, then slowly pour it into the eggs and sugar, whisking continuously. Drain the rum from the cherries and stir into the custard, leaving the cherries in the ramekin.
Butter each brioche slice generously, then cut into triangles. Sprinkle each piece with dark chocolate so it sticks to the butter.
Arrange the buttered brioche slices in the dish, overlapping at the edges. Spoon a few rum-soaked cherries between each slice. Pour over the custard mixture to cover all the bread, then allow to rest for 5 minutes to absorb.
Sprinkle over the demerara sugar and bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the custard has just set. If the pudding colours too quickly, cover with foil for the final 10 minutes of cooking time, then serve.

Cook’s tip

French-inspired swaps
If you have dry pastries instead of bread, or fancy an even more indulgent treat, switch the brioche for approximately six pastries – pains au chocolat and croissants are perfect. The flaky layers absorb the custard and create a delicious pud.

Bread options
This recipe works well with most kinds of bread, especially if it’s slightly dry, as the custard will bring it back to life. Sourdough and challah are ideal – but avoid wholemeal or anything overly seeded as they can make the dish a bit gritty.

Fruit choices
Cherries are my favourite addition here, as they complement the chocolate and are a more modern twist on a classic. If you want to stick to tradition, replace with the same amount of raisins – but I still recommend soaking them in rum!

Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe