PANETTONE BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING

For the puddings:

One 500g panettone

Six medium free-range eggs, lightly beaten

100g unrefined golden caster sugar Two vanilla pods, split and de-seeded

1 tsp cassia (sweet cinnamon)

1 tsp ground ginger

The grated zest of one clementine 400ml whole milk

200ml double cream

A splash of golden rum or Cognac (optional) Extras:

Six ramekins, about 8cm in diameter

A little butter for greasing A suitable baking tray with high sides

A teatowel

Firstly, let’s make the confit sauce: Slice the clementines, skin and all, very thinly.

Place in a pan with the sugar, the spices, the lemon juice and just enough water to cover the fruit. Bring to a simmer, making sure all the sugar is dissolved, then bubble under a lid or greaseproof paper cartouche until the rind of the clementines is very soft.

This can take up to an hour.

You may need to add a little more water occasionally.

When the clementines are fully soft, fish out the spices and blend the mixture until smooth.

Add a little water if necessary – you’re after a nice tart sauce with a thick pouring texture.

Set aside while you make the puddings.

Dice the pannettone into pieces about 2cm in size. Grease your ramekins or pots with a decent amount of butter.

Heat the oven to 180ºC / Gas 4. In a bowl, whisk the sugar with the eggs, along with the vanilla, cassia, ginger and clementine zest.

Slowly whisk in the milk, then the cream to make a smooth custard. Add a splash of booze if you fancy, and decant into a jug for ease of pouring.

Fill each ramekin with plenty of the diced pannettone and pour in some of the custard. Allow the cake to soak up the custard for a few minutes, then go again.

Repeat this process until the cake is fully soaked and the custard is almost up to the lip of each ramekins.

Place the ramekins on the teatowel, folded in the base of the baking tray, and pour in enough boiling water to come three quarters of the way up the ramekins.

Transfer the tray carefully to the oven (I usually half-fill the tray then take it the rest of the way when in place in the oven).

Sprinkle the puddings with a little caster sugar and bake for 25-35 minutes or until just set and wobbly, then remove from the oven carefully and allow to cool a little before serving.

Serve the warm clementine sauce separately.