Get a taste of Ireland with this Rhubarb Bread and Butter Pudding.
THINK Irish food is all about the potato?
Tourism Ireland has sourced some of the Emerald Isle's best recipes from the country's top chefs for us to recreate at home while dreaming of an Irish getaway.
From Guinness Bread to Cabbage and Bacon Terrine, these hearty meals will have you hooked.
For a sweet dessert, we couldn't go past this Rhubarb Bread and Butter Pudding crafted by Irish cook Darina Allen.
It's a popular dessert at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Shanagarry, County Cork, that's situated on its own 100 acre organic farm and offers country cooking courses.
Rhubarb Bread and Butter Pudding
Ingredients
- 450g red rhubarb
- Sugar
- 55g (2oz) butter, preferably unsalted
- 12 slices good-quality white bread, crusts removed
- 450ml (16fl oz) cream
- 230ml (8fl oz) milk
- 4 large free-range eggs, beaten lightly
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence
- 175g (6oz) sugar
- 1 tablespoon sugar, for sprinkling on top of the pudding
To decorate:
- Lightly whipped cream
You will need:
- ovenproof pottery or china dish
- a bain-marie or shallow roasting dish
Method
- Cut the rhubarb into 2.5cm (1in) pieces. Put into a dish and sprinkle with sugar. Leave to macerate for an hour.
- Butter the bread and arrange four slices, butter-side down, in one layer in the buttered dish. Scatter half the rhubarb over the bread, and cover with another layer of bread, butter-side down. Scatter the remaining rhubarb on top and cover with the remaining bread, buttered side down.
- Whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, vanilla essence and sugar in a bowl.
- Pour the mixture through a fine sieve over the bread. Sprinkle the sugar over the top and let the mixture stand, covered loosely, for at least 1 hour or refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
- Bake in a bain-marie - the water should be boiling and come halfway up the sides of the baking dish - in the middle of the preheated oven, for about 1 hour or until the top is crisp and golden.
- Serve the pudding warm with some softly whipped cream.
