Deep-Fried Bread & Butter Pudding with Cold Custard

1. Line the bottom and sides of a 900 g/2 lb loaf pan with baking (parchment) paper, then lay the bun halves on top of each other in the pan.
2. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, sugar and cream, then pour over the bread so everything is submerged. Cover with cling film (plastic wrap) and place in the fridge overnight.
3. The next day, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Remove the cling film and bake the pudding for 45 minutes, then leave to cool. When cool, cover with another piece of baking paper and cut a piece of cardboard to put on top of the pudding in the pan. Add something heavy on top, like a food can, to press the pudding and chill in the fridge overnight.
4. The next day, turn the pudding out onto a clean work counter and cut into 5 thick slices. Put enough sugar into a shallow bowl for coating the slices after they have been deep-fried.
5. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or deep, heavy pan to 180°C/350°F, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Carefully lower 2 slices of pudding at a time into the hot oil and deep-fry for 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown on the outside and warm on the inside. Remove with a fish slice (spatula) and drain on a plate lined with paper towels for a few seconds, then coat the slices in sugar on all sides.
6. To serve, pour the cold custard into 5 serving bowls, then top with the warm bread and butter pudding.

CUSTARD

1. Pour the milk and cream into a pan, then add the vanilla bean and seeds and heat to just before boiling. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice and set another heatproof bowl or container on top.
2. Put the egg yolks and sugar into a heatproof bowl and whisk together until combined.
3. Slowly pour a large ladleful of the warm mixture over the egg yolks and sugar, whisking constantly so it does not curdle, then return the mixture to the pan and cook over a medium-low heat, stirring slowly with a rubber spatula, until it reaches 83°C/181°F on a sugar (candy) thermometer. Remove from the heat, then immediately pass through a chinois sieve into the bowl set over the ice bath and leave to cool.
4. When cool, cover and place in the fridge until you need to use it. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

1. Line the bottom and sides of a 900 g/2 lb loaf pan with baking (parchment) paper, then lay the bun halves on top of each other in the pan.
2. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, sugar and cream, then pour over the bread so everything is submerged. Cover with cling film (plastic wrap) and place in the fridge overnight.
3. The next day, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Remove the cling film and bake the pudding for 45 minutes, then leave to cool. When cool, cover with another piece of baking paper and cut a piece of cardboard to put on top of the pudding in the pan. Add something heavy on top, like a food can, to press the pudding and chill in the fridge overnight.
4. The next day, turn the pudding out onto a clean work counter and cut into 5 thick slices. Put enough sugar into a shallow bowl for coating the slices after they have been deep-fried.
5. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or deep, heavy pan to 180°C/350°F, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Carefully lower 2 slices of pudding at a time into the hot oil and deep-fry for 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown on the outside and warm on the inside. Remove with a fish slice (spatula) and drain on a plate lined with paper towels for a few seconds, then coat the slices in sugar on all sides.
6. To serve, pour the cold custard into 5 serving bowls, then top with the warm bread and butter pudding.

CUSTARD

1. Pour the milk and cream into a pan, then add the vanilla bean and seeds and heat to just before boiling. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice and set another heatproof bowl or container on top.
2. Put the egg yolks and sugar into a heatproof bowl and whisk together until combined.
3. Slowly pour a large ladleful of the warm mixture over the egg yolks and sugar, whisking constantly so it does not curdle, then return the mixture to the pan and cook over a medium-low heat, stirring slowly with a rubber spatula, until it reaches 83°C/181°F on a sugar (candy) thermometer. Remove from the heat, then immediately pass through a chinois sieve into the bowl set over the ice bath and leave to cool.
4. When cool, cover and place in the fridge until you need to use it. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.