Plum bread and butter pudding with spiced pink champagne and plum sorbet
RECIPE DETAILS
1. To make stewed plums, using a pan in which the plums will be able to sit in one layer on the bottom, bring the Champagne, caster sugar, rosemary, bay leaf, lemon and orange rind, cloves, cinnamon sticks and crushed peppercorns to the boil and simmer until the sugar has dissolved and then simmer for 10 more minutes.
2. Add 7 large red plums, washed, stoned and halved and cover with a lid. Cook gently until the plums are soft but still in whole pieces, not mushy – about 5–8 minutes. Remove the plums and set aside, strain the cooking liquid and allow to cool in the fridge.
3. To make the puddings, grease a long rectangular dish with butter. Take the white bread cut into rounds the size of your dishes and butter one side with the softened unsalted butter.
4. Hand whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together in a bowl. Split 1 vanilla pod and place in a pan with the milk and double cream. Bring the milk and cream to the simmer then sieve onto the egg yolks and sugar, stirring all the time.
5. In a bowl mix the dried blueberries, cranberries and cherries.
6. Start constructing the pudding – first a round of buttered bread in the bottom of your dish, then the plums (3 halves per dish), then a round of buttered bread, then a layer of the dried fruit mix, then finish with a layer of bread, buttered side up.
7. Pour the warm egg mixture over the bread and leave to soak for 30 minutes, only come level with the top layer of bread.
8. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Place the dish in a roasting tray three-quarters filled with warm water. Lightly cover with buttered kitchen foil and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes until they begin to set.
9. Meanwhile as the puddings cook, churn the cooled syrup from the plums in an ice cream machine and chill 2 martini glasses in the freezer.
10. Remove from the water bath, sprinkle liberally with caster sugar and glaze with a blow torch until the sugar dissolves and caramelises, taking care not to burn.
11. Remove the puddings from the water bath, sprinkle liberally with caster sugar and glaze with a blow torch until the sugar dissolves and caramelises, taking care not to burn.
12. Place the bread and butter pudding at one end of a large rectangular plate and the martini glass on the other end. Place ½ a plum in the bottom of each glass and top with a scoop of sorbet. Serve immediately.
