Pear pudding recipe
This partnership of pear and Stinking Bishop (which is washed in Perry) makes a savoury bread and butter pudding for a tempting lunch or supper dish, or which can be made in individual ramekins for a dinner party starter – or indeed a cheesy dessert, or for that matter a fruity cheese course! Finish with a liberal sprinkling of Old Winchester from Lyburn.
This is a versatile base from which to experiment – If you want a sweeter dish try using brioche or a hazelnut and raisin sourdough. If you want to turn the savoury dial up a notch then try potato and rosemary bread, or replace one of the pears with a sliced leek sautéed with a little thyme.
For the individual ramekin versions slice the bread thinly, and cut the pear and cheese into slightly smaller dice. Cut out three circles of bread the same size as the ramekin for each. Start with a disc of buttered bread in the base, buttered side up, and add a layer of pear and cheese, then bread, another pear and cheese layer, and top with a final slice of bread. Pour in the custard in stages, allowing each addition to seep and soak through before the next. These will only need about 25 minutes cooking time.
Ingredients
- 3 Medium to thick slices of English Farmhouse white bread, preferably a day or two old, buttered
- 2 Ripe but firm large pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1.5 cm chunks
- 180 g Stinking Bishop cut into the same sized pieces as the pears
- 2 Large eggs
- 1 Large egg yolk
- 300 ml Single cream
- 1 Generous handful of grated Old Winchester
- 0.25 tbsp Nutmeg
- 0.5 tbsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 Knob of butter
- 1 Pinch sea salt
- 1 Pinch black pepper
- 3 Medium to thick slices of English Farmhouse white bread, preferably a day or two old, buttered
- 2 Ripe but firm large pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1.5 cm chunks
- 6.3 oz Stinking Bishop cut into the same sized pieces as the pears
- 2 Large eggs
- 1 Large egg yolk
- 10.6 fl oz Single cream
- 1 Generous handful of grated Old Winchester
- 0.25 tbsp Nutmeg
- 0.5 tbsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 Knob of butter
- 1 Pinch sea salt
- 1 Pinch black pepper
- 3 Medium to thick slices of English Farmhouse white bread, preferably a day or two old, buttered
- 2 Ripe but firm large pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1.5 cm chunks
- 6.3 oz Stinking Bishop cut into the same sized pieces as the pears
- 2 Large eggs
- 1 Large egg yolk
- 1.3 cups Single cream
- 1 Generous handful of grated Old Winchester
- 0.25 tbsp Nutmeg
- 0.5 tbsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 Knob of butter
- 1 Pinch sea salt
- 1 Pinch black pepper
Details
- Cuisine: British
- Recipe Type: Dessert
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 35 mins
- Serves: 2
Step-by-step
- Preheat your oven to 180°C and set the kettle boiling.
- Melt the knob of butter in a frying pan roomy enough to accommodate the pears in a single layer, and when it's bubbling add them to the pan. Sauté the pears on a highish heat until they start to take on some colour and then set them aside to cool.
- Meanwhile whisk together the eggs, cream, nutmeg and cayenne pepper and season with generous pinches of sea salt and black pepper.
- Cut the buttered bread slices into quarters and arrange them, points uppermost, in overlapping layers in a gratin dish, tucking about _ of the pear and cheese between them as you go. Scatter the remaining pear and Stinking Bishop across the top.
- Pour over the savoury custard and let everything sit and soak for a few minutes. Scatter the Old Winchester across the top.
- Place the dish into a roasting tray and pour in boiling water to two thirds the way up the sides of the dish. Pop everything into the middle of the oven and give it 35 minutes. The top should be golden brown and crunchy.
- Dust with a little more cayenne if you like a spicy kick. Give it a few minutes to rest and serve warm, with a salad of your choice.
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Upside-Down Pear and Cardamom Tart
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