Caramel Croissant Pudding
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA EXPRESSIntroduction
I always think that some of the best recipes come from the thrifty refusal to throw anything away. Certainly, I made this one Monday evening because I had two stale croissants left over from the weekend and just knew they could be put to good use. Now, adding cream and bourbon is probably a lot less thrifty than throwing some stale bread away in the first place, but this is such a fabulous pudding that I now think it should be every Monday night's supper. And I mean supper: with something this substantial, you certainly need eat nothing beforehand. Though I admit a small crunchy salad may not be a bad idea first.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
I always think that some of the best recipes come from the thrifty refusal to throw anything away. Certainly, I made this one Monday evening because I had two stale croissants left over from the weekend and just knew they could be put to good use. Now, adding cream and bourbon is probably a lot less thrifty than throwing some stale bread away in the first place, but this is such a fabulous pudding that I now think it should be every Monday night's supper. And I mean supper: with something this substantial, you certainly need eat nothing beforehand. Though I admit a small crunchy salad may not be a bad idea first.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 2 greedy people
- 2 stale croissants
- 100 grams sugar
- 125 millilitres double cream
- 125 millilitres full fat milk
- 2 tablespoons bourbon (or rum)
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 2 stale croissants
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons bourbon (or rum)
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350ºF.
- Tear the croissants into pieces and put in a small gratin dish; I use a cast iron oval one with a capacity of about 500ml / 2 cups for this.
- Put the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water into a saucepan, and swirl around to help dissolve the sugar before putting the saucepan on the hob over a medium to high heat.
- Caramelize the sugar and water mixture by letting it bubble away, without stirring, until it all turns a deep amber colour; this will take 3-5 minutes. Keep looking but don't be too timid.
- Turn heat down to low and add the cream — ignoring all spluttering — and, whisking away, the milk and bourbon. Any solid toffee that forms in the pan will dissolve easily if you keep whisking over low heat. Take off the heat and, still whisking, add the beaten eggs.
- Pour the caramel bourbon custard over the croissants and leave to steep for 10 minutes if the croissants are very stale.
- Place in the oven for 20 minutes and prepare to swoon.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350ºF.
- Tear the croissants into pieces and put in a small gratin dish; I use a cast iron oval one with a capacity of about 500ml / 2 cups for this.
- Put the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water into a saucepan, and swirl around to help dissolve the sugar before putting the saucepan on the hob over a medium to high heat.
- Caramelize the sugar and water mixture by letting it bubble away, without stirring, until it all turns a deep amber colour; this will take 3-5 minutes. Keep looking but don't be too timid.
- Turn heat down to low and add the cream — ignoring all spluttering — and, whisking away, the milk and bourbon. Any solid toffee that forms in the pan will dissolve easily if you keep whisking over low heat. Take off the heat and, still whisking, add the beaten eggs.
- Pour the caramel bourbon custard over the croissants and leave to steep for 10 minutes if the croissants are very stale.
- Place in the oven for 20 minutes and prepare to swoon.
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Show more commentsI once saw this in an episode of the series (may have been over a decade ago?) and I guess it stuck in my mind, but I've never had the problem of leftover/stale croissants, lol. This week I got a giant bag of pastries with Too Good To Go, so I decided to make this with the croissants. First time making a caramel, but it went well. Added some chopped pecans, which went great with it. Very rich, very delicious!
I’d never made caramel sauce before. I caught the end of a Nigella episode and watched her make this, and thought it looked delicious. A couple of weeks later I had a couple of croissants that had gone stale and wondered if I could possibly give the pudding a go. I followed the recipe, with the exception of using lite milk instead of full cream, because that was all I had, and no alcohol.
It turned out amazing, and I was so proud of myself for making a success of the sauce.
Second time I made it, I made a little mistake and added a last dribble of the cream after I’d already added the milk, and it didn’t whisk in properly. Didn’t matter. Once baked in the oven, it was still amazing and delicious. I have mine nice and hot with a generous helping of cream.
Also, I ended up with a lump of solidified toffee on my second go but it dissolved easily by turning the heat back up a little and whisking it fairly thoroughly.
All in all, this is a fantastic recipe that is really quite easy. I particularly like that there is no need for a sugar thermometer, like so many recipes demand for caramel sauce.
Nigella is right, though - don’t be timid!
I'm actually kind of proud of myself...I was really nervous about the caramelising aspect of making this, but Nigella said 'don't be timid', so I did it. It was genuinely no big deal and a very easy clean up. Really yummy...I used rum. Spectacular hot, really good cold. Just don't make it unless there is someone else nearby to help eat it or you will end up eating the whole thing!
OMG an absolute winner for the whole family. So easy to make and very easy to eat - yum yum.
Was amazing. Did it for a supper and even the friend who doesn't do puddings tried it and loved it. Will definitely be a favourite in this house.
I just made this fabulous, yet so simple pudding to use up some homemade challah bread that had gone stale. What a wonderful solution it was! Next time, I might have to reduce the bourbon to just 1 T: while it gave the pudding a great flavor, I also found it a tad too "boozy" for my personal preference. I served it with marinated strawberries and scoops of vanilla ice cream, a rather needed addition to cut through the richness of the dessert.
This was absolutely beautiful!! I did add half a large block of Whittakers rum and raisin chocolate broken up amongst the croissants!!
This is an excellent recipe. I saw this recipe 9 years ago and now I have found it again, I am glad to make this recipe now ... :p
Incredible! Not an experienced cook and still found this easy to make. Made without the Bourbon and tasted fab. Beautifully light and melt in the mouth. Will definitely make again.
I just love love this pudding!!!
Sooooooo good! Everyone who tries it loves it too!
I made this recently using sliced brioche as I had some in my freezer. I also added some maple syrup to the caramel sauce and scattered some diced dates over the slices of bread before tipping over the hot custard. Delicious!