Are you looking for something seriously decadent to make for friends or family? Why not experience pure indulgence with this dark chocolate and croissant bread and butter pudding?

The history of Croissant Bread and Butter Pudding traces its roots back to France, the birthplace of both croissants and the beloved bread and butter pudding. Croissants, famous for their flaky layers and buttery taste, were first introduced in the 17th century in Vienna, Austria. However, it was in France where they gained widespread popularity and became an integral part of French cuisine.

The origins of bread and butter pudding can be traced even further back, to the early days of frugal cooking when leftover bread was ingeniously repurposed into a delightful dessert. It was a humble and economical dish that could transform stale bread into a comforting and sweet treat.

The marriage of croissants and bread and butter pudding likely came about as a delightful innovation, combining the elegance of French pastry with the comforting familiarity of bread pudding. The croissant’s flaky and buttery texture adds a new dimension to the traditional bread and butter pudding, elevating it to a truly indulgent level.

Over time, Croissant Bread and Butter Pudding has gained popularity worldwide, captivating dessert enthusiasts with its unique combination of flavors and textures. It has become a favourite in patisseries, cafes, and homes, serving as a delightful reminder of the rich culinary heritage of both France and bread pudding.

Today, Croissant Bread and Butter Pudding stands as a testament to the creativity and adaptability of culinary traditions, bringing together the past and the present in a dish that continues to delight taste buds and evoke a sense of comfort and nostalgia.

This dessert, compliments of Leopard’s Leap, takes the classic bread and butter pudding to new heights by combining rich, velvety dark chocolate with buttery croissants.

Ingredients

• 150 ml milk
• 50 ml cream
• 1 vanilla pod
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 eggs
• 25 g sugar
• 20 g apricot jam
• 2 croissants
• Handful of raisins
• 100 g 70% dark chocolate, roughly chopped into 25 g portions

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160 °C.
2. Grease 4 ramekins and line with sugar.
3. Place the milk, cream, vanilla pod and cinnamon sticks in a saucepan and bring to the boil,then remove from heat.
4. Whisk together the eggs and the sugar. Add some of the hot liquid to the egg mixture to temper while whisking and pour back into the milk mixture. Strain the liquid into a jug.
5. Cut the croissants and place in a greased sugared ramekin with raisins between the layers and place the dark chocolate in the centre.
6. Pour over the custard evenly, top with raisins and allow to soak for 5 to 10 mminutes.
7. Place the ramekins in a deep oven-tray lined with a thin cloth and pour warm water in the dish to cover the ramekin sides half-way up.
8. Place in the oven and bake until set and golden on top.
9. Once cooked, remove from the oven and oven-dish, brush the croissants with apricot jam and dust with icing sugar.
10. Serve warm with a glass of the Leopard’s Leap Culinaria Grand Vin.