Bread Pudding - Great way to use left over not so fresh bread

This recipe was the frugal housewives way of using up left over bread (back in Malta, bread was delivered to your door every morning - and sometimes even twice - by the baker himself.) Bread was also an important part of your meal. The best bread to use would be a traditional loaf and not the 'sliced' sandwich type but you really can use any type.

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf bread (a few days old)

50 g butter

125 g sugar ( I mix brown and regular)

2-3 eggs

Some milk (to soak bread in)

1 apple peeled and grated (optional)

5 tablespoons cocoa powder (try use a good quality one and not drinking chocolate!)

200 g pine nuts, chopped

200 g raisins

2 tablespoons candied peel

2 teaspoons mixed spice ( I use nutmeg and cinnamon - but it’s a matter of taste!)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 tablespoon brandy

1 tablespoon extra sugar for the top - coarse brown is the best!

METHOD

Cut bread into squares and soak in some milk until soft.

Pre heat oven to 200C and grease a rectangular baking dish measuring about 30cm by 20cm. Squeeze out excess milk from the bread. (get your hands in there!)

Put the soggy bread in a processor with the other ingredients except the dried fruit and pine nuts and mix well.

Add the dried fruit and pine nuts and pulse until combined.

Spread in the baking dish and flatten surface with a spatula.

Sprinkle the extra sugar on top.

Bake for about an hour, until it feels firm . serve warm or at room temperature - but I also love it cold !

Panna Cotta

This recipe was sent to me by a friend back home in Malta. I believe she got it from a restauranteur friend of hers so if so, kudos to the chef! I tried this yesterday and its is YUMMY!

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups heavy cream
2 packets powdered gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 tbs cold water
Strawberries, sliced, for the top


METHOD
Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a medium-sized bowl and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.in the meantime, put the milk and cream in a pan, add the sugar and, on a low heat, bring to a boil.
As soon as it boils, take of the heat and add the vanilla
Pour the Panna Cotta mixture over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Divide the Panna Cotta mixture into the prepared cups, then chill them until firm, about 2-3 hrs.
Slide the panna cotta out of the cups using the blunt edge of a knife
Add the strawberries, maybe a twist of mint and serve

English Custard

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (500ml) milk

6 egg yolks

1 cup (200g) sugar

1 vanilla pod

rind of one small lemon - thickly cut

PREPARATION

Heat milk in a saucepan with the vanilla and lemon rind

Bring to the boil.

Remove from heat and cool a little.

Beat egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl for about 10 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Little by little, stir in warm milk until well mixed.

Cook stirring constantly with a whisk untei mixture starts to thicken (Do not allow to boil). Remove from heat, place over a pan of ice and allow to cool completely, stirring from time to time.

You can serve this custard as a dessert or use it as garnish or filling of another dessert like the ENGLISH TRIFLE....which will be my next post!