DARK CARAMEL PUDDING

Created especially for Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards by Kathy Paterson who describes this as a good old cousin to the Bread and Butter Pudding with a SURPRISE - a dark caramel layer. Kathy suggests serving it warm with Little Lato Bespoke Gelato, and notes it’s just as good cold the next day - if there’s any left!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 ½ cups breadcrumbs, made from slightly stale bread

2 cups milk

15g butter

2 eggs, separated

115g  (¾ cup) caster sugar

2 tablespoons dark caramel sauce

Dark caramel sauce

200g caster sugar

100g butter, diced

125ml cream

½ teaspoon flaky salt

To serve

Little Lato Bespoke Gelato

Make the sauce, put the sugar and 125ml water in a medium-sized heavy-based saucepan. Put over a medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves completely. Increase the heat and cook to a dark caramel, about 10 minutes but you will smell the sugar beginning to caramelise. Keep an eye out.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Gently whisk in the cream and salt.  Leave to cool before placing in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Keep in the fridge for up to one week.

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Lightly grease a 1 litre baking dish (one that will fit into a roasting dish).

Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the base of the baking dish.

Heat the milk and butter until hot, but not boiling.  Lightly whisk the egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly pour the hot milk into the eggs, while whisking. Pour over the breadcrumbs and leave to stand for 15 minutes for the breadcrumbs to begin to absorb the milk.

Carefully transfer the dish to the roasting dish and fill the roasting dish halfway with hot/boiling water.

Put in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until just set. Remove from the oven and carefully remove the pudding from the roasting dish.

Lower the oven temperature to 150°C.

Whisk the egg whites using an electric hand whisk until stiff peaks form. Gradually whisk in the sugar until the meringue is stiff and glossy.

Dollop 2 tablespoons cold dark caramel sauce on top of the pudding then dollop the meringue on top. Return to the oven (not in the roasting dish) and bake until the meringue is pale golden and crisp, 15-20 minutes.

Serve warm with scoops of Little ‘Lato bespoke Gelato.