Overnight, the weather turned cold.
We switched on the gas heater, pulled out jumpers and slippers, and started hunting around for ingredients to make a warm dessert.
On the bench was half a loaf of stale sourdough, destined for the worm farm. It was the perfect base for an impromptu bread and butter pudding! I also had a little fresh ricotta leftover from lunch, treacle, and a few eggs from our diminishing supply…
- Half a sourdough fruit loaf
- Treacle
- Unsalted butter
- Golden raisins (optional)
- 4 large free range eggs
- 450ml milk (we used UHT)
- 120g fresh ricotta
- 110g (½ cup) vanilla sugar (or use plain sugar and some vanilla extract)
- a generous splash of Calvados brandy
- Vanilla sugar for topping
1. Cut the bread up into slices – I left the crust on, but you could cut it off if you wished. Butter one side of each slice.
2. Grease a baking dish (I used two small ones) and drizzle a tablespoon or more of treacle over the base. Arrange a layer of bread over the bottom of the dishes, butter side up. Scatter with a few raisins, then place another layer of butter-side-up bread over the top. Chop the bread up as needed to try and fit it into the dish – mine ended up with a few small bits sticking out at odd angles.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, ricotta, Calvados and the ½ cup of vanilla sugar. Ladle the mixture over the top of the bread until the dishes are quite full and the bread is soaked. Don’t worry if the bits of ricotta float, it will all cook down in the end. Leave for at least 30 minutes, pushing the bread down every 10 minutes or so to help it soak up the liquid. Preheat oven to 175C (160C with fan).
4. Place the dishes on a baking tray (to catch any drips), sprinkle vanilla sugar over the bread, then bake in the oven for 40 – 50 minutes, or until golden brown (as I’d baked mine in smaller dishes, they only needed 40 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 – 15 minutes before serving.
It’s certainly not the most attractive bread and butter pudding I’ve ever made, but it might be the most delicious. The stale sourdough didn’t go mushy during baking, and the top layer was deliciously crispy. It wasn’t overly sweet, with the Calvados and treacle adding a grown-up, dark caramel flavour, and the ricotta contributing a lovely richness to the dish.
Isn’t it fabulous when a whole lot of leftovers destined for the worms and chooks ends up as something so tasty?
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
LOVE bread and butter pudding and being made in your kitchen means it is extra delicious.
:-) Mandy xo
Mandy, thank you! It went down a treat – we ate one and we took one to the neighbours!
It always makes me feel virtuous not to waste food- and to make something glorious out of leftovers is a total bonus! I think this look fantastic- maybe I’ll give it a try- in a couple of days when my bread is not eaten up! :)
Heidi, it’s the main problem with fruit loaf – Pete and I love it, but we just never seem to get through a whole loaf. It’s nice to have something to do with it! :)
Yummmy…. You are amazing. I loveee your kitchen! Thanks and Love, nia
Nia, thank you! You’re always so kind! xx
awesome post Celia have not made one in ages
Linda, thank you – it’s the right weather for it now in Sydney!
Overnight, the weather turned cold.We switched on the gas heater, pulled out jumpers and slippers … :) Just the same here but we’re supposed to be getting warmer not colder! I love bread and butter pudding, though I’ve never tried it with ricotta.
Bad luck worms.
Anne, I’ve never tried it with ricotta either, but I like how it turned out! I might buy ricotta especially for it next time! :)
One of my favourite wintertime desserts. Yum!
Lizzy, I haven’t made it for ages, so it made Pete very happy! :)
This was my mothers favourite before she passed away. I bought one of these at jocelyn’s provisions in brisbane every week. Yours looks even better, keep up the good work, john.
John, thank you – wish you were closer and I could drop one over, although I bet Roz makes a mean bread and butter pudding! xx
I’m just getting to love bread and butter pudding and I’d love this!
Maureen, it’s not something I grew up eating either, but Pete loves it. This ended up quite non-soggy which I was pretty happy about, sometimes B&B puddings can be too runny for me..
My favourite dessert from childhood. Funny thing, I have rarely made it and consequently my kids don’t like it.
Mo, my husband and eldest son love it, but not my youngest! Not sure why, but they all have very definite tastes here! :)
Love bread and butter pudding. I made an amazing one a little while ago. So tasty. Love the addition of ricotta. Something I’ll have to try!
Nick, the ricotta only went in so that I didn’t have to feed it to the worms! It was a nice addition though – better than cream, I think! :)
Much better use of the bread :)
Tandy, after a while, there are quite a lot of bready leftovers! :) But the worms don’t often get a look in.. :)
Celia, that looks delicious! It’s so cold here too, electric blankets, heaters and lots of cups of tea. Bread and butter pudding s the perfect way to cap off a winter dessert!
Clare, it’s taken so long to get cold that I wasn’t ready for it, if that makes sense! Stay warm! xx
I’m so glad that stale sourdough loaf didn’t end up in the worm farm – look what you made with it! I love bread and butter pudding especially when made with fruit loaf. And yes, it’s suddenly become cold. And it’s getting colder. Our gas heater is on in force xx
Charlie, thank you – Pete is glad too. Stay warm – I just want to stay inside and hibernate, but unfortunately it isn’t an option.. :)
Celia, I don’t know how I managed to miss out on reading your blog for so long! Just found you through the NQN book launch posts. You are a gorgeous, generous soul and your posts are an amazing archive of recipes, stories and photos. Wish that I was a Sydney blogger, just so that I could meet you and the network! :) Love the look of the bread and butter pudding. My grandmother always used to make these (in England) when I was knee-high to a grasshopper, so seeing this recipe makes me feel all sentimental. Love the boozy twist with the Calvados. Sounds so delicious. Great for this cold weather. Hope that your finger is well healed by now? xx
Laura, thank you so much for stopping by! Yes, the finger is pretty much mended (although the nail will take a while to grow back), The Calvados is a nice addition to the B&B – I suspect not quite how your gran used to make it though! :)
Aww, so glad that your finger has healed ok. I once cut the top of my thumb off whilst chopping an avocado (I was quite tired and it was at least 10 years ago now. Didn’t quite have the knife skills I have now!). I stuck the ‘bit’ back on and it seems to have adhered ok, but I still don’t have full feeling in the area! I guess that’s the drawback of being a cook. Can’t wait to try your pudding xx
Yum – I had never thought of using ricotta in a b&b pud – shall try it this weekend.
Thank you – I hope you like it! We’re always looking for ways to use up ricotta here – there always seems to be half a tub in the fridge!
I might need to cook a fruit loaf just so I can try this! I really need to get another batch of vanilla essence going. My gran used to make the best bread and butter pudding. Yum! Xxx
Ali, you should do so do it! I reckon fruit loaf might be your next big thing! :)
This sounds divine Celia- the treacle and calvados is very grown up indeed! So glad you didn’t waste this on the chooks or worms, I’m sure your boys thought so too :) xox
Becca, it was quite grown up – everyone loved it except Small Man, but he’s FUSSY and doesn’t want any dessert without chocolate (unless it’s an apple pie!). :) xx
Have never put Calvados into mine: now I know how to right ‘my’ recipe! And I hate to think what that early horrible Westerly is doing to our windchill factor :) ! Thought we were safe until third week in June :( !
Eha, stay warm! I seem to go through a lot of Calvados in my cooking in recent times, not sure why! :)
Bread & Butter Pudding is an old favourite, and something I can and do make. I love your take on it :) In a world where there is still some bad press about eggs, full fat dairy & carbs… this is a dish that fights back :)
ED, I was thinking it was good for you – eggs (protein), milk, bread, fruit, cheese – what could be bad? ;-)
Conforms with Michael Pollan’s philospohy ‘Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.’, ‘Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food’. Great Grandma would definitely recognise bread & butter pud :)
Looks so lovely Celia. I bought back a recipe for a savoury bread and butter pudding from my recent NZ trip………maybe tonight’s dinner.
Elaine, I LOVE savoury B&B puddings. I once met an older lady who made one which she called (rather politically incorrectly) her “wife saver”.. :)
Finally made the cheese and mushroom strata………..gorgeous
“Isn’t it fabulous when a whole lot of leftovers destined for the worms and chooks ends up as something so tasty?”
Not for the worms and chooks it isn’t. ;) This one is on the must-try list.
Ha! They do alright, Rose. :) Hope all is well and not too cold down your way, it’s blowing cold here!
Celia that is just what we need here tonight. It’s even chilly in Brisbane. Perfect example of waste not want not.
Claire, thank you! I wish you lived closer, so we could share! :)
More often than not, the ugliest ones are the most delicious! I love the addition of Brandy here Celia, great recipe :)
Thanks Lisa! Not just brandy, apple brandy! It’s nice, but potent! :)
OMG what happened to the weather? I didn’t realise that it had turned so we went out for dinner at an outdoor place and promptly froze!
Isn’t it crazy? I’m sitting here in my dressing gown today!
I’ve no doubt that this was a fantastic bread & butter pudding, Celia. If a dish has bread in it and comes from your kitchen, it’s gotta be good! :)
John, you are always so nice, thank you! :)
Yum, one of my absolutely favourite things to make! Especially with homemade bread :-)
Oz, I’m so glad you like it too! Hope all is well! x
Love bread and butter pudding, just finished dinner but I have room for a big slice, thanks.
Come on over, Norma, I’ve set a place for you.. :)
What a great way to use up those bread and turn them into something scrumptious! :) Can’t wait to try it when I get old bread next time.
Thanks Amy! It’s a nice treat – we don’t make it often, but everyone loves it when we do!
I love bread and butter pudding. We haven’t had it for a while *adds to list*
Pat, I’m sure you make a wickedly good one! :) xx
We didn’t throw bread away when I was growing up so this featured often. Of course I love it – it’s the custard bit.
Of course! It’s the perfect custard lover’s treat! :)
I’m so glad the worms didn’t get the bread! I really have to try this one. It will have to be back in Brisbane. I have never seen treacle here. We do have the very best ricotta though.
I can just imagine how good your ricotta is! I adore it when it’s still warm and creamy! :)
This is really good…