Delia Smiths Bread Pudding Food

BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING

Steps:

• First of all, cut each slice of buttered bread in half, then into quarters, leaving the crusts on. Now arrange one layer of buttered bread over the base of the dish, sprinkle over the candied peel and half the currants, then cover with another layer of the bread and the remainder of the currants. Next, in a measuring jug, measure out the milk and add the double cream. Stir in the caster sugar and lemon zest, then whisk the eggs, first on their own in a small bowl and then into the milk mixture. Now, pour the whole lot over the bread, grate some nutmeg over the surface then bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crusty. Remove it and leave for 5 minutes before serving

BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Tear 500g white or wholemeal bread into a large mixing bowl and add 500g mixed dried fruit, 85g mixed peel and 1 ½ tbsp mixed spice.
• Pour in 600ml milk, then stir or scrunch through your fingers to mix everything well and completely break up the bread.
• Add 2 beaten large eggs, 140g light muscovado sugar and zest of 1 lemon, if using. Stir well, then set aside for 15 mins to soak.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base of a 20cm non-stick square cake tin (not one with a loose base).
• Stir the melted butter into the pudding mixture, tip into the tin, then scatter with demerara.
• Bake for 1½ hrs until firm and golden, covering with foil if it starts to brown too much. Turn out of the tin and strip off the paper. Cut into squares and serve warm.

CHOCOLATE BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING

Steps:

• Begin by removing the crusts from the slices of bread, which should leave you with 9 pieces about 4 inches (10 cm) square. So now cut each slice into 4 triangles. Next, place the chocolate, whipping cream, rum, sugar, butter and cinnamon in a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, being careful not to let the bowl touch the water, then wait until the butter and chocolate have melted and the sugar has completely dissolved. Next, remove the bowl from the heat and give it a really good stir to amalgamate all the ingredients. Now in a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and then pour the chocolate mixture over them and whisk again very thoroughly to blend them together. Then spoon about a ½ inch (1 cm) layer of the chocolate mixture into the base of the dish and arrange half the bread triangles over the chocolate in overlapping rows. Now, pour half the remaining chocolate mixture all over the bread as evenly as possible, then arrange the rest of the triangles over that, finishing off with a layer of chocolate. Use a fork to press the bread gently down so that it gets covered very evenly with the liquid as it cools. Cover the dish with clingfilm and allow to stand at room temperature for 2 hours before transferring it to the fridge for a minimum of 24 (but preferably 48) hours before cooking. When you're ready to cook the pudding, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C). Remove the clingfilm and bake in the oven on a high shelf for 30-35 minutes, by which time the top will be crunchy and the inside soft and squidgy. Leave it to stand for 10 minutes before serving with well-chilled pouring cream poured over.

TRADITIONAL FRUITY AND SPICED BREAD PUDDING - WITH BRANDY!

Steps:

• First marinate the fruit & peel in the brandy - set aside.
• Tear the bread into even sized pieces and soak in the milk for about 30 minutes.
• Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Melt the butter in the microwave or a small saucepan.
• In a large roomy bowl, mix the sugar, beaten eggs, melted butter, spices, orange & lemon zest together, then add the brandy-soaked fruits & mix well again.
• Tip it all into the milk soaked bread.
• Mix it all together - and then pour into a well buttered baking dish.
• Sprinkle demerara sugar on top & add some grated nutmeg if you wish.
• Bake for 1 hour, or until the bread pudding is well puffed up, crispy and golden brown. It will sink on cooling, but that's fine!
• Cut into squares - serve warm with cream, ice-cream or custard.
• As a final flourish - you can also grate some orange zest over the cream etc!
• N.B. You can also make this with Brioche or any type of Bread product, as long as it it not too savoury.

GINGER & PEAR BREAD & BUTTER PUDDING

Steps:

• Spread the bread with the butter, then the preserve. Cut each slice into 4 triangles. Arrange half the bread in the base of a 300ml microwave dish. Scatter over the pear and top with the remaining bread triangles.
• Beat together the egg, half the sugar and the milk. Pour over the bread and leave to soak for 10 mins, pushing the bread down to soak up the milk mixture.
• Cook the pudding in the microwave on High for 4 mins, then leave to stand for 5 mins. Cook on High for 1 min.
• Heat the grill. Sprinkle over the remaining sugar, then cook under a hot grill until the top is bubbling and golden. Serve the pudding warm.