Rhubarb and Custard Bread Pudding
Rhubarb and custard bread pudding turns a classic British sweet pairing into a baked dessert that feeds eight. Rhubarb is briefly simmered in sugar syrup so it stays in pieces and keeps its tartness, which cuts through a vanilla custard thickened with custard powder. Buttered white bread soaks up the custard before baking, and a last scattering of sugar at higher heat gives a golden top. The leftover syrup is worth pouring over each portion.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 160 °C (320 °F). Grease a deep 30 by 20 cm (12 by 7.9 in) baking pan, and butter the bread slices.
Put the water and ¼ cup (60 g/2.1 oz) of the sugar in a large frying pan over medium heat until the syrup bubbles. Add the rhubarb and simmer for 3 minutes, turning now and then, then take the pan off the heat and leave the fruit to soak in the syrup.
Warm the milk, cream and vanilla in a saucepan over low heat until small bubbles appear at the edge. While it heats, mix the remaining sugar, the custard powder and the eggs in a heatproof bowl.
Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture a little at a time, whisking constantly so the eggs warm gradually and do not scramble.
Lay the buttered bread in the pan, overlapping the slices slightly. Spread the rhubarb over the top and keep the syrup to one side.
Pour the custard over the bread so it is covered, and let it soak for 20 minutes.
Bake for 30 minutes, until the bread has puffed up. Scatter the 1 tablespoon of sugar over the top, raise the oven to 180 °C (356 °F), and bake 5 minutes more until golden.
Dust with powdered sugar and serve, with the reserved rhubarb syrup and extra cream if you like.
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