Bake of the Week: Gingerbread and Butter Pudding

WE have something just a wee bit unusual for you this week.

This gingerbread and butter pudding, served with milk ice cream, sounds quite dense and wintry.

But it’s surprisingly light and refreshing, perfect for a summers day.

It’s a favourite with diners at restaurant The French Table and head chef, Eric Guignard, has finally released his recipe.

You’ll need

For the butter pudding

1kg gingerbread, homemade or shop bought

80 ml egg yolk

256 ml whole egg

1 tsp sugar

160 ml whipping cream

For the milk ice cream

600 ml full-fat milk

1 bronze gelatine leaf (soaked)

250g condensed milk

100g Suprema milk powder

75 ml double cream

125g caster sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas mark 1/275F.

Slice the gingerbread into 1cm thick pieces. Line a tray with parchment paper and neatly lay in the slices, overlapping each other.

Whisk the yolk, whole eggs and sugar together. Boil the cream and pour over the eggs, whisking constantly. Pour this over the sliced gingerbread and leave for 20 mins to absorb the custard.

Bake for 25 mins until the custard is softly set, like a crème brûlée. Cool, then slice into portions.

For the ice cream, reduce the milk by half over a medium heat, then stir in the gelatine.

Mix the condensed milk with milk powder and cream, then pour in the reduced milk and the sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Transfer to a container and freeze until set.

To serve, cut a big wedge of the gingerbread and butter pudding and serve with a scoop of ice cream and a lightly poached pear.