A real festive VIP pudding

BY COMBINING classic Italian panettone with a few simple but tasty ingredients and what do you get?

A really sumptuous dessert that’s fit for any VIP visitors you may cater for over the upcoming festive period.

This creation is not only incredibly quick and easy to put together but it really looks the part too.

Ingredients:

50g spreadable butter 12 slices of slightly dry panettone 100g dark chocolate chips 3 eggs 300ml milk 200ml double cream 1 tsp vanilla extract 55g caster sugar 1 tbsp demerara sugar Zest of two oranges You will need a 12x6in Pyrex dish and a grill pan or deep roasting tin to make a bain marie.

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 170°C. Thoroughly grease the Pyrex dish.

Very lightly butter the slices of panettone right up to the edges.

Sprinkle half of the chocolate chips over the bottom of the dish and cover with panettone slices, slightly overlapping.

Top with all but a handful of the chocolate and cover this with another layer of the sliced panettone.

In a bowl, beat the eggs together with the caster sugar, orange zest and vanilla extract.

Stir in the double cream and the milk.

Pour this mixture over the top of the panettone, ensuring it is thoroughly soaked by “sinking” it with the back of a spoon.

Sprinkle the demerara sugar, together with the final handful of chocolate chips, over the top, ensuring a good coverage.

Refrigerate until your guests arrive.

When ready for serving, bake in the oven for approximately 35 minutes to golden.

Eat while hot when the chocolate is melting, accompanied with steaming hot custard.

Wishing you a wonderfully peaceful Christmas.

Lesley and her husband Roberto own Roberto’s Italian on Ocean Plaza, for more of Lesley’s recipes pop by and say hello or go to www.ritaliandiner.co.uk