Recently I enjoyed a progressive lunch at The Barracks, Petrie Terrace, with some media gals. We were treated with food from several restaurants which we enjoyed with much laughter.
The meal ended at The Chelsea, Steve Ackerie's latest project, with a plethora of desserts. Even though we were seriously challenged by our previous consumption, there were some desserts that just couldn't be left half eaten and one of those was a delicious bread and butter pudding.
Steve has generously shared the recipe here so you can recreate it at home or just pop in and enjoy it at the restaurant.
The Chelsea's bread & butter pudding with dates, pecans & butterscotch
Ingredients
15 slices of white bread, crusts removed
Butter for spreading
4.5 cups of milk
5 eggs
3/4 cup of caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
Vanilla pod
Vanilla bean ice cream
Fresh dates, pitted
Pecans
Butterscotch sauce
250 ml cream
180 g soft brown sugar
250 g butter
4 tblsp golden syrup
Method
Spread both sides of the bread with butter and place in a greased tray. Put eggs, milk, sugar and fresh vanilla in a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour over the bread and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Dot pitted dates throughout the pudding making sure each portion will get some. Sprinkle over extra sugar. Place the dish in a baking tray and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the dish. Bake for one hour at 150'C.
To make butterscotch sauce
Chop butter fine and add to pan with brown sugar, stir over low heat until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved. Bring to the simmer and add the syrup and cream, simmer for a further ten minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and cool.
Serve the pudding warm with vanilla bean ice cream, fresh roasted pecans and butterscotch sauce.