Masala Chai-spiced Bread and Butter Pudding

We’re celebrating the return of the Great British Bake Off with this delicious recipe for Masala Chai-spiced Bread and Butter Pudding from Slow Dough: Real Bread by Chris Young! Read on for the full, spicy and satisfying recipe!

 

Masala Chai-spiced Bread and Butter Pudding taken from Slow Dough: Real Bread.

SERVES: 4-6

PREPARATION TIME: 45-55 minutes

COOKING TIME: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients

FOR THE CUSTARD:

600g/11b 5oz/XXX cups milk (or a mixture of milk and cream)

1 green cardamom pod

1 or 2 cloves

1 slice (about 3mm/1/8 inch thick) fresh ginger

2cm/3/4 inch piece of cinnamon quill or cassia bark

1 vanilla pod/bean

a twist or two of black pepper

50g/194ozl/4 cups caster/superfine sugar

2 eggs

300g/10 and a 1/2 oz stale Real Bread, sliced about 1cm/1/2 inch thick

50g/1 and 3/4 0z/3 and 1/2 tbsp butter

zest of half a lemon

50g/1 and 3/4 oz/1/2cup seedless raisins or sultanas/golden raisins

Method

  1. Measure the milk into a saucepan, add the spices, vanilla and pepper, and heat but do not boil. Cover and set aside to cool and infuse.
  2. Grease an ovenproof dish. Butter the bread on one side and arrange half of the slices in a layer in the dish. Scatter the lemon zest and raisins over the bread and layer the rest of the bread on top. If you are using a smaller, deeper dish, you might get three layers of bread and two of fruit.
  3. Strain the spices out of the milk. Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds back into the milk (dry the vanilla pod to use again, or to flavour a jar of sugar.
  4. Whisk together the sugar and eggs, then add the milk and whisk again. Pour the custard over the bread, butter and fruit in the dish – it should reach about half way up the top layer of bread. Press the bread down into the mixture (you don’t want any dry bits) and leave to soak for about 30 minutes.
  5. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas 4. Put the pudding in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until brown on top and just set in the middle – wobbly, not watery. Serve warm or cold with cream or custard.

Happy Baking! Why not upload a #SourdoughSelfie tag @RealBreadCampaign and @NourishBooks on Instagram!

/0 Comments/by
, ,

The Future is Flexitarian

The Part-Time Vegetarian’s Year by Nicola Graimes is available to buy NOW!

–

How things have moved on since my original The Part-Time Vegetarian was published five or so years ago. The culinary climate has definitely changed for the better, with more of us choosing to eat plant-based meals on a regular basis. And to prove the point, research figures show that, impressively, one in three in the UK have cut down on the amount of meat they eat, with 60 per cent of vegans and 40 per cent of vegetarians having adopted their dietary preference over the last 5 years.

While the health benefits of a plant-based diet – the reduced risk of major chronic diseases, obesity and diabetes – are well documented, it has been the growing concerns over the environmental impact of intensive animal farming that has spurred much of the move towards flexitarianism, vegetarianism and veganism over the past few years. Recent research has revealed the hefty footprint of intensively reared meat, with the conclusion that the single most effective way to reduce our environmental impact is a global shift towards a flexitarian diet that contains only small amounts of ethically reared, good-quality meat and dairy, eaten once or twice a week with a plant-based diet being predominant.

For me, one of the most exciting aspects of the shift towards flexitarianism is how inspiring and creative plant-based cooking has become. Nowadays, no chef worth their salt would forget to include a vegetarian or vegan dish on their restaurant menu. What’s more, many openly relish the exciting culinary possibilities of plant-based cooking.

As a family, we have become more mindful of what and how we eat over the years. Like many families, our eating preferences vary and I’m constantly on the look-out for meals that both meet our differing tastes and that can be adapted if need be. Whether we eat meat just once a week; just at weekends; as part of an extended family get together; for a dinner party; or not at all, I’ve found that flexitarianism is a way of eating that can be moulded to suit our individual needs.

I’m hoping that this sense of versatility, adaptability and variety shines brightly in the recipes in this book. Importantly, vegetables always take centre stage with a focus on what’s in season. Where meat (or seafood) are included they are in cost-, eco- and health-conscious small amounts and treated as a garnish, side, topping or second to the plant-based components of the meals. At the heart of this book is the growing relevance of a mindful connection with what and how we eat.

/0 Comments/by
,

Fig and Fennel Sourdough

Welcome to #SourdoughSeptember! We’re so excited to join the 2020 #LockdownLoafers in baking and creating artisanal sourdough this month. Of all the things the pandemic brought forth, bread is a strong favourite here at Nourish HQ.

To get the celebrations started, we’re sharing this Fig and Fennel Sourdough recipe from Slow Dough: Real Bread by Chris Young – to join in and make some Real Bread, you can get your copy of the book here!

 

Fig and Fennel Sourdough, taken from Slow Dough: Real Bread

 

Makes: 1 large loaf
From mixing to oven: overnight plus 5 hours
Baking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the pre-ferment:
100g / 3 and a 1⁄2oz / scant 1⁄2 cup white sourdough starter
75g / 2 and a 1⁄2oz / 1⁄2 cup plus 1⁄2 tbsp white bread flour
75g / 2 and a 1⁄2oz / scant 1⁄3 cup water
For the dough:
350g / 12oz / 2 and a 1⁄2 cups white bread flour
150g / 5 and a 1⁄2oz / 1 cup wholemeal / wholewheat bread flour
300g / 10 and a 1⁄2oz / 1 and a 1⁄4 cups water
10g / 1 heaping tbsp green fennel seeds
10g / 2 tsp fine / table salt
175g / 6 and a 1⁄4oz / scant 1 and a 1⁄4 cups quartered dried figs

Method

1. Mix the pre-ferment ingredients together thoroughly, cover and leave at room temperature for 12–14 hours (typically overnight).
2. To make the dough, add both flours with the water and fennel seeds to the pre-ferment, and mix thoroughly. Cover and leave to rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes.
3. Mix in the salt and knead for a few minutes. Cover and leave to rest at room temperature for another 30 minutes.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, using a rolling pin to roll it out into a rectangle. Distribute the figs evenly over half the dough, then fold the other half over them, pressing the edges together to seal. Roll the dough out again, fold in half and roll out once more. If the figs are not evenly distributed, repeat the process but be careful not to mush them up completely.
5. Shape the dough into a ball, cover and leave to prove at room temperature for 1 hour.
6. Give the dough a single fold, cover and leave to prove for another 2 hours, or until almost doubled in size.
7. Dust a proving basket well with flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape to fit the basket. Place the dough seam-side up in the basket, cover and leave to prove at room temperature for 1 hour.
8. Heat the oven to 230°C/210°C fan/450°F/gas 8, with a baking stone or baking sheet in place. Turn the dough out onto a peel and slide it onto the baking stone. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas 6 and bake for a further 20 minutes, checking halfway through that it is not browning too quickly.

Happy Baking! Why not upload a #SourdoughSelfie tag @RealBreadCampaign and @NourishBooks on Instagram!

/0 Comments/by