Clodagh McKenna's joyful pudding
Clodagh’s putting her twist on one of the nation’s favourite desserts. She’s making her comforting bread and butter pudding that’s layered with sweet banana and salty caramel sauce.
Clodagh’s caramel bread and butter pudding
Serves: 8
Ingredients
4 bananas, sliced length-ways
50g of butter
1 tbsp maple syrup
100g raisins
5 large eggs
480ml double cream
225g granulated sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 slices firm white bread, crusts left on
120g Irish butter at room temperature
Salted caramel sauce:
110g unsalted butter, cut up into pieces
225g granulated sugar
1 dessertspoon sea salt
600ml cream
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 and butter a baking dish.
2. In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the 50g of butter and stir in the maple syrup. Fry the banana slices on each side until golden brown, then set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla to make a custard.
4. Spread one side of each slice of bread with butter, cut them in half diagonally, and arrange half the slices in the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping them.
5. Arrange half of the banana slices lengthways on top of the buttered bread, and sprinkle half of the raisins. Repeat with the remaining bread, bananas, and raisins.
6. Pour the custard over the bread, using clean hands push the bread down and let it soak for 30 minutes.
7. Put the baking dish in a large baking pan and add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dish (optional). Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the pudding is set and the top is golden.
8. Remove from the water bath and cool slightly on a wire rack.
9. To make the salted caramel sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the sugar, sea salt, and cream. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens.