If you have some leftover croissants from the weekend about to go stale, you should try the recipe Nigella Lawson would have “every Monday night” for dinner.
The TV star featured the decadent recipe, which serves two “greedy” people, in her Nigella Express book.
About the history of this delightful dessert, Nigella said: “I always think that some of the best recipes come from the thrifty refusal to throw anything away. Certainly, I made this one Monday evening because I had two stale croissants left over from the weekend and just knew they could be put to good use.
“Now, adding cream and bourbon is probably a lot less thrifty than throwing some stale bread away in the first place, but this is such a fabulous pudding that I now think it should be every Monday night’s supper.
“And I mean supper: with something this substantial, you certainly need eat nothing beforehand. Though I admit a small crunchy salad may not be a bad idea first.”
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Ingredients
- Two stale croissants
- 100 grams sugar
- 125 millilitres double cream
- 125 millilitres full fat milk
- Two tablespoons bourbon (or rum)
- Two large eggs (beaten)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350ºF. Tear the croissants into pieces and arrange them in a small gratin dish, ideally a cast iron oval one with a capacity of about 500ml / two cups.
In a saucepan, combine the sugar and two tablespoons of water, swirling the mixture to help dissolve the sugar.
Place the saucepan over medium to high heat to caramelise the sugar and water mixture. Allow it to bubble away without stirring until it transforms into a deep amber colour, which typically takes 3-5 minutes. Keep an eye on it, but resist the urge to stir too much.
Reduce the heat to low and carefully add the cream, being prepared for any splattering. Whisk continuously as you add the milk and bourbon.
Any solid toffee that forms in the pan can be easily dissolved with continuous whisking over low heat. Once combined, remove the mixture from the heat and, while still whisking, gradually incorporate the beaten eggs.
Pour the caramel bourbon custard over the croissants, allowing them to steep for 10 minutes if they’re very stale. Then, place the gratin dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, until golden and heavenly. Get ready to be swept off your feet by the delightful aroma and taste.
