I was so delighted to win a Carluccio Caffe Pandoro just before Christmas, to be picked up in January. Sadly the branch we had elected to collect from had run out of Pandoro, but we were awarded a fabulous Panettone instead.
After several virgin slices with cups of tea, I decided I really ought to make the bread pudding that had won the competition in the first place.
The original recipe read
”I like my Pandoro sliced and made into an Italian bread and butter pudding, the raisins soaked in Vin Santo, and some Marsala in the custard.”
Now, a Panettone already has fruit and candied peel in the mix, so doesn’t need any additional raisins so I am afraid the Vin Santo didn’t get to the pudding. It is rich and full of butter, so the slices need no buttering, so the name is a bit of a misnomer. Also, I fancied a slightly drier version, that can be sliced easily to be eaten cold as a cake, with a cup of espresso coffee. So pudding is probably not right either.
Hmmm… so of the title the Italian seems to be the only bit that is absolutely on the button. My Carluccio panettone is no imitation, it is made for Carluccio in Italy, and it is a gorgeous light yeasted bread studded throughout with candied fruit and sultanas, scented with lemon and vanilla. (If you ever want to replicate this flavour in your own breads or cakes, I love the sound of Bakery Bits “Aroma Panettone“, as recommended by Dan Lepard. It is on my list of things to try this year.)
Usually a bread and butter pudding is silky with lots of custard, this version you will see is drier, with the custard soaked into the panettone, resulting in a delicious soft creamy texture, but with plenty of structure so that you can pick it up and munch happily. I achieve this by cooking slightly longer and at a higher temperature so that the pudding souffles – it will sink again as it cools, but retains a better texture like this.
It is easier to do than to describe (for me anyway, not being a recipe writer) so do try it and let me know what you think.
| Italian Bread and Butter Pudding Cake |
- Enough slices of Panettone to fill a 10 inch diameter flan dish or something of similar capacity
- 3 large eggs
- 250ml milk (I used semiskimmed as that is what I had)
- 250ml Double Cream
- 1 scant tablespoon sugar
- 1 small sherry glass of Marsala
- Neatly fit the slices of panettone to fill your dish.
- Beat the eggs, milk, cream, sugar and Marsala together just to mix.
- Pour over the panettone to come to the top of the slices. Add a little more milk if there isn’t sufficient custard to cover.
- Allow to soak in for half an hour or so.
- Bake in medium oven, gas Mark 4, Electric 350/180 (maybe slightly less if you have a fan oven, but you will know your own oven) for about 35-40 mins until it starts to puff up. Allow to cool slightly and serve warm with pouring cream, or allow to cool completely and serve in slices with a cup of coffee. This will keep happily in the fridge for up to 3 days.
