Cookbook:Rhubarb and Custard Bread Pudding

Rhubarb and custard pudding is a recipe adapted from page 21 of the February 2023 edition of Tesco's magazine.

Ingredients

 * ½ cup (125 ml/4.2 fl oz) water
 * ⅔ cup (150 g/5.3 oz) superfine sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
 * 400 g rhubarb, trimmed and chopped into 3 - 4 cm pieces
 * 2½ cups (625 ml/1.32 pints) milk
 * ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon (100 ml) heavy cream, plus extra to serve (optional)
 * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 * 4 tablespoons custard powder
 * 2 eggs
 * ⅔ stick (80 g) butter
 * 10 slices thick-sliced white sandwich bread, crusts removed and cut into triangles
 * 2 teaspoons powdered sugar, to serve

Procedure

 * 1) Preheat the oven to 160 C.
 * 2) Heat the water and ¼ cup (60 g) of sugar in a large frying pan over medium heat until the syrup bubbles.
 * 3) Add the rhubarb and simmer for 3 minutes, turning occasionally.
 * 4) Remove the heat and set aside to soak.
 * 5) Heat the milk, cream and vanilla in a saucepan over a low heat until small bubbles appear.
 * 6) Meanwhile, combine the remaining sugar, custard powder, and eggs in a heatproof bowl.
 * 7) Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking as you go to temper it.
 * 8) Grease a 30 by, deep baking pan. Butter the bread slices.
 * 9) Lay the bread slices in the baking pan, overlapping them slightly. Distribute the rhubarb on top, reserving the rhubarb syrup.
 * 10) Pour in the custard to cover the bread slices. Soak for 20 minutes.
 * 11) Bake for 30 minutes until the bread puffs up.
 * 12) Scatter over 1 tablespoon sugar.
 * 13) Increase temperature to 180 C and bake for 5 more minutes until golden.
 * 14) Dust with powdered sugar and serve optionally with rhubarb syrup and cream.