Almond Croissant Pudding with Creme Anglaise
One of the highlights of each month for me is the delivery of my ‘Delicious’ magazine subscription. I save it for a quiet time when I can sit down with a glass of wine, drool over the fanastic recipes and flag the recipes I want to make later. This is a wonderful recipe from an old edition which I have made several times and is always a hit!
Almond Croissant Pudding
4 almond croissants (preferably day-old), torn into large chunks
4 eggs
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
300ml milk
300ml pure (thin) cream
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
Finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
2 tbs brandy
Chocolate sauce (see below), to serve
Toasted flaked almonds and raspberries or seasonal fruit, to decorate
Icing sugar, to dust
Creme anglaise
4 egg yolks
1 cup (250ml) milk
1 cup (250ml) pure (thin) cream
1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate sauce (makes about 2 cups)
200ml pure (thin) cream
50ml milk
200g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup (25g) good-quality cocoa powder
Method
Grease the base and sides of a 1-litre terrine or loaf pan and line with baking paper. Pack the croissants into the terrine or pan, then set aside.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until just combined. Place the milk, cream and vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan over low heat and bring to just below boiling point, then gradually pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Add the orange zest and brandy and whisk well to combine, then pour the mixture over the croissants in the pan and stand at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the custard to soak in – this will make for a lighter pudding.
Meanwhile, for the anglaise, lightly beat yolks in a bowl. Place milk, cream, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to just below boiling point. Pour hot milk mixture over egg, whisking constantly, then return to the pan over very low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 5-6 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Pour into a jug, cover surface closely with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming, then chill until needed.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Bake the pudding for 45 minutes until just set and golden on top (cover with foil if it’s browning too quickly). Remove the pudding from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then turn out and slice. Place on a serving platter and drizzle with chocolate sauce and creme anglaise, then scatter with almonds and raspberries and serve dusted with icing sugar.
To make chocolate sauce: Place the cream and milk in a pan over medium heat. Bring to just below boiling point, then remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and stir until smooth. Whisk the in cocoa, then strain into a jug and set aside to cool.
Just Wanna Cook! 