Grace’s Goan Caramel Bread Pudding

This beloved Bombay teatime favourite is a wonderful combination of humble bread pudding and smooth caramel custard. Grace’s simple, cherished recipe was traditionally steamed in a pressure cooker, transforming the everyday ingredients into a light, cake-like delicacy."

Ingredients

1-pint full fat milk

4 tbsp white sugar

½ tsp Grated nutmeg or 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

6 slices white sliced bread

2 eggs

1 heaped tbsp butter

Caramel base

2 tbsp granulated sugar

 
Cooking Steps

Step 1
Preparing the milk: bring 1 pint of whole milk to a gentle boil. Add 4 tbsp sugar, ½ tsp nutmeg, and a pinch of salt, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and keep aside.

Step 2
Preparing the Bread Mixture: Break the bread into small pieces and place them in a large bowl.

Pour half of the warm milk mixture over the bread, allowing it to absorb the liquid. After a few minutes, add the remaining milk and gently stir.

Taste for sweetness, adding more sugar if required. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes, allowing the bread to fully soak up the milk.

Step 3
Preparing the Caramel:

Grease a 1-pint pudding basin or an 8” baking tin.

To make the caramel, melt 2 tbsp of sugar in a small pan over a medium heat, stirring until it is a light brown syrup.

Remove from the heat and pour it into your greased pudding basin/baking tin, tilting to coat the bottom evenly. Set aside for at least 15 minutes for the caramel to cool and harden.

Step 4
Preparing the Bread Pudding

Add 2 lightly whisked eggs to the soaked bread and milk mixture together with 1 tbsp butter and blend until smooth.  Pour over the caramel in the pudding basin.

Step 5
Baking the Bread Pudding

Place the bread pudding bowl in a deep baking tray or metal saucepan and fill with hot water to a quarter of the pan height.  Place the baking tray in the centre rack and bake in a preheated oven at 160°C (320°F) for 1 hour until knife inserted in centre comes out clean.

 If not, return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes and test again. Once baked, allow the pudding to cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 12 hours.

Step 6
Serving the Bread Pudding

To unmould, run a knife around the pudding's edge. Place a serving plate over the bowl, then firmly grip both together and invert. Carefully lift the bowl to reveal the caramel bread pudding, now ready to be served