Rhubarb and custard bread and butter pudding

Method

• step 1

  Put 50g of the caster sugar in a frying pan that will roughly fit the rhubarb in a single layer. Add 100ml of water plus a tbsp each of the orange and lemon juice. Melt together, then, as the syrup comes to the boil, quickly add the rhubarb, and simmer for a minute. Turn the rhubarb chunks and simmer for a minute more. Drain off and save the liquid, and leave the rhubarb to cool (keep the syrupy liquid to serve).

• step 2

  Put the milk, cream, vanilla pod and pared lemon and orange zests into a pan. Bring gently to the boil, while you whisk the remaining 100g sugar with the custard powder in a big bowl. Whisk one of the whole eggs into the sugar, to a smooth paste, then whisk in the remaining eggs and yolk. Keep whisking while you pour it over the hot milky mixture.

• step 3

  Butter a deep 30 x 20cm baking dish, and thickly slice and butter the brioche loaf. Layer the bread slices with the rhubarb chunks until the dish is evenly filled, then sieve the custard mixture and pour over. Leave the pudding to soak for 30 minutes, then heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and boil the kettle.

• step 4

  When ready to bake, sit the baking dish in a deep roasting tin. Pour enough boiling water into the tin to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Sift the icing sugar over the top, then bake for 35-40 minutes until the pudding is puffed and golden, and the custard just set. Eat with clotted or runny cream, if you like.