Classic chocolate & orange pannetone pudding

COMBINE 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 be catering for over the upcoming festive period

Another Christmas themed recipe, this creation is not only incredibly quick and easy to put together but it really looks the part too.

Ingredients:

50g butter for spreading 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 Pyrex dish, 12in x 6in and a grill pan or deep roasting tin to make a bain-marie.

Method:

Heat oven to 170°C. Thoroughly grease the Pyrex dish.

Very lightly butter the slices of panettone right up to the edges. Sprinkle a handful of chocolate chips over the bottom of the dish and cover with panettone slices, slightly overlapping. Top with another handful of chocolate chips and cover this with another layer of sliced panettone.

In a bowl beat the eggs together with the caster sugar, orange zest and vanilla extract. Stir in the double cream and 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 guests arrive.

When ready for serving, bake in the oven for approximately 35 minutes to golden. Eat this pudding hot while the chocolate is still melting, serve with steaming hot custard!

Lesley is studying a BSc Hons nutrition and health degree at Edge Hill University, she and her husband Roberto also own Roberto’s Italian on Ocean Plaza, Southport.

For more of Lesley’s recipes, go to: Twitter: @LYatesNutrition and Roberto’s: Facebook.com/ robertossouthport