Making Caramel Croissant Pudding Ahead

Our answer

Nigella's Caramel Croissant Pudding (from NIGELLA EXPRESS) soaks stale croissants in a caramel custard. Croissant dough is fairly tender so will absorb the liquid quickly, which makes it ideal as an Express recipe. It is possible to assemble the pudding a little longer than 10 minutes ahead, but it is best if the croissants are stale so that the pudding doesn't become too stodgy. We would not recommend baking the pudding ahead as it is difficult to reheat without affecting the texture.

You can leave the assembled pudding at room temperature for up to 30 minutes, but we would avoid assembling the pudding too far in advance as the croissants could become too soft and start to break up a little. If you need to make it further ahead, and up to the day before, make the caramel custard, transfer it to a heatproof jug, then cover and refrigerate it until almost ready to cook. Tear up the croissants and put them in the dish, then cover and leave at room temperature until needed. Pour the chilled custard over the croissants and let the dish stand for 10 minutes before baking. You will probably need to allow an extra 5-10 minutes in the oven for the chilled custard - the pudding is ready when it is just set in the centre.