Sibling rivalry – it can either bother you or spur you on. I prefer my rivalries (not that I have, well, any really) to spur me on. I recently turned the page on another year in the life of me (41, in case you were wondering), and although there are few things in life that I regret, one is that my Dad, whom I love and cherish, prefers the Bread and Butter Pudding my sister used to make over my far more elaborate incarnations of it.
The Bread and Butter Pudding that is the stuff of my fathers fondest memories consists of several slices of Wonder Bread lashed with MARGARINE of all god foresaken things, not butter; a few shriveled raisins thrown about and amongst the neatly arranged slices, doused in milk, sprinkled with sugar and left to transmutate into something capable of captivating a fully grown man who should know better for longer than is necessary.
Meanwhile, in the Land of Great Taste and Incredible Ingredients, I soldier on with my once a year preparation of Bread & Butter Pudding. It has to be just once a year because while I prefer my version to have better ingredients, it also comes with a hefty calorific price tag so it is prudent to limits one’s consumption and self control in that regard.
First of all, the Wonder Bread is gone and in its place is Brioche. Any kind of well made Brioche will suffice, but for this recipe I used an Almond & Raisin Brioche with an Apricot Glaze (it is apricot season after all!)
Second of all, Margarine, which has never seen the inside of any kitchen I’ve ever owned, makes way for unsalted butter. Then comes the Apricot Preserve. I use Folláin preserves because they are traditional family recipes and they do not use added sugar, so it means you get all the fruity sweetness of the jam without the cloying artifice.
Next comes the most important part of the whole show (aside from the bread): watery milk is gone in exchange for a simple Creme Anglaise – a loose custard that is heady with vanilla, but loose and pourable enough to saturate the bread. This is important because after buttering and jamming the bread, stacking the slices in an orderly fashion and pouring over the untuous Creme Anglaise, the whole thing must be covered and set aside for up to an hour so that the bread can soak up the liquid.
This important step means that when you do bake your Bread & Pudding Pudding it will puff up like a souffle – rich, luxurious yet light and fluffy!
Here is the full ingredients list and method. A Bread & Butter Pudding Fit for a Dad – my Dad to be precise… Happy Fathers’ Day to the most brilliant and strong Dad I could have ever hoped for!
Ingredients:
- One loaf of Brioche – any kind: plain, with raisins or chocolate
- Unsalted Butter, soft enough to spread easily on the bread without tearing;
- Apricot Jam / Conserve;
- Apricot Brandy – enough to sufficiently douse without breaking the law;
- Flaked Almonds.
- For the Creme Anglaise:
- 250ml double cream
- 4 egg yolks
- 60 g demerara sugar
- 1/2 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Method:
- Slice Brioche into evenly thick slices, butter and jam generously on one side.
- Arrange in a 25cm baking dish (or whatever you have that’s closest to that size).
- Sprinkle over the Apricot Brandy – be generous but not overly excitable with the application of it! Scatter the flaked almonds with wild abandon.
- Meanwhile make the Creme Anglaise by whisking together the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl, set aside.
- Place the creme into a heavy bottom saucepan and warm slowly over the heat until you start to see small bubble forming around the side but be careful not to boil. Take off the heat and allow to cool just for a minute or so.
- Pour a little of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk vigorously. Then the egg mix back into the warm cream, add the vanilla bean paste and whisk to combine.
- Place the saucepan back on a low heat and stir continuously until it just begins to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon lightly.
- Take off the heat and pour all over the bread. Cover with tin foil and allow to stand for up to an hour, although any amount of time will help with absorption.
- When ready, heat the oven to 180 degrees, and bake covered until the bread has puffed up and the custard has set.
- Take out of the oven, allow to cool for a few moments, then serve with a little shake of icing sugar, and a small dollop of freshly whipped cream flavoured with some more of the Apricot Brandy.
And… ENJOY!
As a committed dog parent, spontaneity isn’t always possible; because, like any responsible parent, we have to get a minder or beg, plead and borrow for a boarding kennel at 11th hour notice. But I do so love it when I can indulge in all the things I love about my down time and am able to combine it with an escape to the countryside where my pet is as welcome as I am, and then add all manner of bells and whistles and what you have is one of my favourite places of all time to walk, dine, relax and have adventures with Buddy, my dog. Welcome to Liss Ard Country House Estate.
Liss Ard is less than five minutes’ drive from the bustling west Cork market town of Skibbereen. The elegant Georgian estate is nestled in 163 acres of gardens and peppered with unique vignettes such as James Turrell’s award winning Sky Garden. The elegant Country House, built in 1856, is hidden from view until arriving virtually at its doorstep. It has an immediate welcoming air, relaxed and dripping with understated luxury.
Since 2017, a small but ambitious chef team has been built busy reimagining what it means to be a restaurant in a hotel. Head Chef, Danny Barter, along with a young talented sous chef in Josh Graddon, have been garnering a reputation for 
Liss Ard as an exciting and creative dining destination.
Throughout the year, Liss Ard host sumptuous dining events; tasting menus created by Danny and Josh and a welcoming experience curated by Aidan, Mags, Paul and David. Over the past two years, I have dined four times at Liss Ard, three times at their dining experience evenings. Most recently, Mr Flavour and I dined at their A Taste of Romance event on 16th February, two days post Valentine’s on a Saturday evening.
These apartments are sleek and modern and full of the comforts of home so your pet can feel like they are having a holiday and adventure in a home from home! Where practically replaces opulence, quaintness, privacy and your own courtyard patch with seats for when the sun shines
more than makes up for it. You and your pooch will love it – and that’s before they have even started to explore the numerate trails, paths and super-fun spots that will leave them with their legs walked off. Perfect timing, in fact, for when you settle them in for the night as you head across to the big house, the restaurant and an evening of delectatious dining!
We are welcomed by the site of something fizzy and giddy being poured into glasses, as the sounds of piano and violin echo through the galleries and spacious drawing rooms of the first floor. Ever since we arrived to check in, there have been deep, rich, meaty aromas drifting on the breeze, catching our noses and making our tummies gurgle with desire.
Amuse Bouche
White Wine Poached Mini Pear with Baked Walnut Crumb, Pomegranate Seeds, Goats Cheese Snow, Quince Jelly, Thyme & Cranberry Dressing
Pan-seared Skeaghanore Duck Breast, Confit Leg Bon Bon, Garden Pea and Pearl Onion Cassoulet, Pickled Blackberries and Creme de Cassis Jus
Fresh Strawberry & Garnish Island Gin Cured Salmon, Elderflower Tonic Gel, Pink Grapefruit and Black Mustard Seed
Charcoal Flame-Grilled Côte de Bœuf, Baled Marrow of Leg, Crispy Shallot Rings, Pickled Land Mushrooms, Broccoli Chutney, Blackened Merlot Jus
Dessert Buffet: Raspberry Macaroon, Chocolate Mousse, Honeycombe Pieces; Lemon Meringue Tartlet; Cheesecake with Rhubarb Gel
And as a lover of Levant cuisine myself (food from the region that stretches from the southern Mediterranean coasts of Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey to the old Persian kingdoms of Iraq, Iran and Syria, and encompassing North East Africa, Palestine, Lebanon and Israel), I’m always delighted to settle in to eat. It is a cuisine that balances earthy and aromatic spices with an abundance of fresh herbs and punches of acidity from citric fruits both fresh and preserves. Charcoal vegetables, slow cooked meats, tangy yogurts and pillowy breads all amount to why Levant food is my favourite of all (second only to “Indian” food…).
