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White Chocolate Croissant Butter Pudding

Servings: 4
Comments:
From the author:

"My signature dish, I perfected this while working in London. Its ideal for using up slightly stale croissants or, better still, cheap ones from supermarkets near closing time. To be made well, it needs a good-quality white chocolate containing at least 40 percent cocoa solids, good Scotch whiskey and a combination of eggs and eggs yolks".....James Martin


Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups milk
2 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
3 whole eggs
5 egg yolks
7 oz. granulated or superfine baker's sugar
3 large croissants
1 oz. golden raisins or sultanas
1 oz. (1/4 stick/2 tbsp/28g) butter, melted
6 oz. good-quality white chocolate, grated
3 tablespoons whiskey
2 oz. apricot jam, slightly melted
Confectioners' sugar


Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 C).

2. Pour the milk and cream into a pan, add the vanilla bean, and gradually bring to the boil.

3. Place the eggs, egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl and mix well.

4. While the milk and cream are heating, slice the croissants and place in an ovenproof dish, slightly overlapping the pieces. Sprinkle with golden raisins and pour the melted butter over it.

5. Once the milk/cream mixture has boiled, take it off the heat. Add the egg mixture and chocolate and stir well. Set aside to allow the chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally.

6. Add the whiskey to the cream mixture. Next, using a sieve, strain the cream over the croissants, cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until almost set.

7. Remove from the oven, coat the top with the slightly melted jam, and dust with confectioners' sugar. Caramelize the topping using a very hot grill or, if you have one, a blow torch.This is best served at room temperature, with a spoonful of good ice-cream.

Makes 4 servings.

Tip
The reason whole eggs are combined with egg yolks is that although the whites make the mixture tough, they’re actually needed to make it set. The extra egg yolks makes the mixture more smooth and creamy. Be careful not to over-cook the dish, overcooking can make the custard curdle.

Source: Eating with James Martin by Antony Worrall Thompson (Foreword), James Martin


Date: October 17, 2004