RHUBARB, STRAWBERRY & SAUTERNES BRIOCHE PUDDING
Serves 10 (See opposite)
2 bunches (1kg) thin-stalked
rhubarb, ends trimmed ½ cup sauternes (see tip)
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 cup caster sugar
2 punnets strawberries, hulled,
halved
Olive oil cooking spray 2 x 400g loaves brioche
100g soft butter
5 eggs
600ml tub thickened cream
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
or milk
½ cup flaked almonds
1. Cut rhubarb into 4cm lengths. Place rhubarb, sauternes, paste and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a large, deep non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Cook, without too much stirring so rhubarb keeps its shape, for 4 minutes. Add strawberries and stir in gently. Cook for a further 3 minutes or until fruit is tender. Remove pan from the heat to cool.
2. Spray a 26cm springform pan with oil. Place a large sheet of baking paper in pan and press into base and up sides. Spray paper with oil. Place another sheet of baking paper in the opposite direction in the base and up sides, allowing paper to overhang edges.
3. Preheat oven to 170°C. Cut brioche into 2cm-thick slices. Butter one side of brioche slices. Line base of pan with slices of brioche, cutting slices to fit into gaps until base is completely covered.
Spoon 1/3 of the rhubarb and strawberry mixture over brioche. Top with another layer of brioche, another 1/3 of the rhubarb mixture then finishing with a third layer of brioche. Reserve the syrup from rhubarb mixture to serve.
4. Wrap a large piece of foil around the outside of the springform pan to catch any custard that may trickle out. Place pan on an oven tray. Whisk eggs, 3/4 cup of cream (use remainder to whip and serve with pudding), milk and remaining sugar in a large bowl. Ladle mixture slowly over brioche, allowing it to absorb into brioche. Stand for 10 minutes.
5. Bake for 40 minutes. Top with remaining rhubarb and strawberry mixture, leaving a 2cm border. Sprinkle almonds around border. Return to oven for 30 minutes until set in the centre when a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
6. Allow to stand for 3 hours to cool. Remove from pan and serve warm or cold with whipped cream.
TIP: Sauternes (Botrytis-affected Semillon) is a sweet dessert wine (aka ‘sticky’) – you can use Moscato as a less expensive substitute.