Make Bread and Butter Pudding with Stem Ginger

In our house, we have a "ginger monster" that makes stem ginger - the round balls of ginger preserved in syrup - disappear before it can be used in cooking or baking. With this in mind, I revised my normal bread and butter pudding recipe to include stem ginger, and in the process made the "ginger monster" very happy. If you have a lover of ginger in the family, make this while they are out, and the smell in the house will pull them by the nose into the kitchen. Once they taste this, you'll get anything you want from them, especially if you promise to make it again soon!

• 1 jar (280 g) stem ginger
• 9 slices of white bread or 6 large croissants
• 75 g (1/4 of a stick) butter, melted, plus extra for buttering the baking dish
• 420 ml (1¾ cups) milk
• 280 ml (3/4 cup) heavy (whipping) cream
• 3 large eggs
• 60 g (4 Tbsp.) sugar
• 60 g (4 Tbsp.) raisins, soaked in hot water or brandy for 1 hour

1. 1
   Butter a one quart baking dish and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

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2. 2
   Take stem ginger out of the jar (save syrup) and put into the food processor (or use a knife), chop finely.

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3. 3
   Put the ginger syrup in a bowl, then add the milk, cream, sugar and eggs

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   Mix until the ingredients for the custard are well combined.

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4. 4
   Cut each slice of bread into four triangles, (if using croissants, cut in half length-wise)

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5. 5
   Arrange the bread or croissants in a layer in the base of the baking dish

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   Drizzle with a third of the melted butter.

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6. 6
   Sprinkle over half of the chopped ginger and half of the raisins

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7. 7
   Build a second layer and drizzle the remaining butter, then sprinkle the remaining ginger and raisins over the bread or croissants.

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8. 8
   Gently pour the custard mixture over the bread/croissants and push them down well so the bread absorbs the custard mixture

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9. 9
   Allow this to stand for at least 30 minutes, or better, overnight

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   (Standing overnight gives a very smooth custard.)

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10. 10
    Put a plate or something similar on top of the bread/croissants to weigh them down

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Option:

• You can also sprinkle a handful of chopped nuts on the top of the pudding before baking.

• Bake for 45 minutes or until just set and golden brown on top. Test by inserting a knife in the center, and if it comes out clean, it's done. It's OK for the custard to wobble a bit; it will continue cooking even after being removed from the oven).

• Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

• Ginger has all sorts of health benefits as well, so regularly add it to what you eat. Here are just some of the health benefits of eating ginger - calming an upset stomach, easing stomach cramps, improving circulation, relieving painful respiratory or arthritic conditions, and helping to deal with colds, flu and allergy symptoms.

• Even if you don't have a "ginger monster", give your family and friends a real treat by making this. Bread and butter pudding is one of those wonderful desserts to come home to on a cold winter's day and the addition of ginger makes it that much more special.

• So, what are you waiting for - get baking!

If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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