Morello Cherry Bread and Butter Pudding

Cook Time 1 hour + 30 minutes standing time

Servings 4

Ingredients

5 egg yolks

220g (1 cup) caster sugar

600ml thickened cream, plus extra to serve

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 lemon, zest

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Butter, for greasing

500g brioche loaf, crusts removed, cut into 10 slices, then halved into triangles, butter half of the bread

670g jar pitted morello cherries, drained, liquid reserved

2 tbsp demerara sugar

Method

Whisk the egg yolks and half the sugar in a heatproof bowl until pale and thick. Combine the cream, vanilla, lemon zest and cinnamon in a saucepan and bring just to the boil. Slowly whisk into the egg mixture until smooth, then set the custard aside until required.

Grease a 1.5L baking dish with butter. Arrange half the brioche in the greased dish, making sure it comes up the side and pressing down to compact. Add half the cherries, arrange the remaining brioche buttered side up on top, then follow with the remaining cherries. Little by little, pour over the custard, allowing the bread to absorb the liquid. Allow the pudding to stand for at least 30 minutes, so the custard soaks into the brioche.

Combine the reserved cherry liquid and the remaining sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Turn down the heat to medium and cook until reduced by half to a sticky syrup, 12–15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the pudding and bake, cover with foil if the pudding is getting too dark on top, for 35–40 minutes until golden and set. Serve the pudding with a spoonful of the cherry syrup and a drizzle of cream.