RHUBARB & STRAWBERRY BREAD & BUTTER PUDDING CAKE

Rhubarb, orange and strawberry jam bread and butter pudding cake with a vanilla and rum custard. A delicious and comforting treat for these cooler months. I like to serve it warm with cream or ice cream but it’s also fab cold. This recipe is in collaboration with Brioche Gourmet & St Dalfour.

Serves 8.

INGREDIENTS

Rhubarb 
420 grams rhubarb
¼ cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest
½ vanilla pod, seeds only or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Custard
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
¼ cup caster sugar
2 size 7 eggs
1 tablespoon rum, optional
½ vanilla pod, seeds only or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

To Assemble
500 grams Brioche Gourmet Sliced Brioche Loaf
50 grams butter, softened 
6 tablespoons St Dalfour Strawberry Jam
40 grams sliced almonds
1 tablespoon demerara sugar

METHOD

Heat the oven to 180ºC regular bake. Using one sheet of baking paper, line the base and sides of a 20cm cake tin. This way, the custard won’t seep through the bottom of the tin. 

Cut the rhubarb into 2cm lengths and place in a pan with the caster sugar, orange zest and vanilla seeds, or vanilla bean paste. Cook over a low-medium heat for 10 minutes or until tender but still holding their shape. 

In a large jug, beat together the custard ingredients. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve. 

Butter each piece, except the crusts, of Brioche Gourmet Sliced Brioche Loaf, right to the edges. Lay 3-4 pieces of the bread in the base of the lined cake tin, you will have to cut the pieces to fit them snug in the tin. Spoon over 3 tablespoons of St Dalfour Strawberry Jam and spread out evenly, then spoon over ⅓ of the rhubarb. Top with another layer of buttered bread and again, spread with remaining jam and further third of the rhubarb. 

For the final layer of bread, I like to cut the pieces into quarters and lay them at an angle overlapping each other, you have a few pieces of bread leftover. Then top with the remaining rhubarb. 

Slowly pour the custard over the cake, making sure not to fill it above the line of the baking paper or it will seep out the bottom of the tin. 

Place the cake tin on a baking tray then into the oven.

Sprinkle over the sliced almonds and demerara sugar. Bake for 32-37 minutes or until golden and set. 

This can be eaten warm as a pudding or room temperature as a cake. Allow it to set for at least 1 hour before slicing into pieces. 

Delicious with ice cream, cream or runny custard.