CHOCOLATE & BANANA CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING, Low-sugar, an Indulgence

Rich and luxurious, this is a real Festive Treat - keep portions small!

Chocolate & Banana Bread Pudding (half the posted recipe)
'The texture is Divine!' Taster

Inspired by Ina Garten, this is a spectacular dessert, arriving at table beautifully puffed up and golden.  It's an upmarket version of bread and butter pudding and wonderful it is, too.  

It's quite rich with eggs and cream so remember portion control!!  67 has made the pudding a little less unhealthy. The recipe includes fresh bananas, reduces the number of egg yolks, replaces a good portion of the cream with milk and throws in some 70% chocolate to reduce the amount of sugar.  The result (see comments below) was still utterly gorgeous 

Stale croissants are best for this recipe (packaged ones are cheaper and fat-reduced ones are just as good as regular). Stale pannetone or ordinary bread also work fine.  

Cost: £4.50
Serves: 9 or more

Ingred:
    18 oz/600gm croissants (7-8)
    3 large ripe bananas
    juice of half a lemon
         water
    100 gm 70% chocolate (or chocolate chips) 
    
    4 large eggs
    4 egg yolks (freeze whites for Pavlova) 
    2 1/2 cups/360 ml milk
    2 1/2 cups/360 ml single cream
    1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
    2-4 tbsp sugar
    a slug of brandy or cognac (opt)

    a kettleful of water that has been boiled

    icing sugar (opt)

Method:

1. Grease a 9x12x2 inch pan
2. Using a sharp knife, chop the chocolate into shards - uneven sizes are fine; place in a bowl 
3. Put the lemon juice in a wide flat dish and add an equal amount of water
4. One banana at a time, peel & slice, dipping the banana slices into the lemon liquid on both sides to stop them turning brown. 
5. Slice the crossants nearly in half, in a butterfly shape, leaving one end attached. Cover the bottom half with banana slices 
6. Sprinkle a scant tablespoon of shaved chocolate over the bananas and close the croissant.  Cut the filled croissant in three, crosswise.  Place in baking dish at different angles; continue until all the croissants are filled 
7. Whisk the egg and egg yolks in a large jug; add milk, cream, vanilla and sugar; whisk until completely blended
8. Pour over croissants - you may need to do this in two stages to allow the bread to soak up the custard
9. Press down on croissants so that the top of the bread pudding is completely moistened; rest 30 mins, frequently pressing down (any leftover chocolate can be inserted into the custard at this stage)
10. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180c/350F 
11. Place the baking dish in a larger tray; carefully fill the larger tray with very hot water until it is halfway up the baking dish (this is called a bain marie)
12. Cover the entire dish with foil; carefully place it in the oven
13. Bake 45 mins
14. Remove foil and continue to bake another 45 mins
15. Let cool a little and lightly dust with icing sugar, if liked. 
16. Serve with pouring cream or ice cream

Comments:
'My word, this is lovely.  I wouldn't have minded bit more sugar but the texture is divine and the banana-chocolate combo is unexpectedly tasty.  Would be great with ice cream.' Retired financial analyst.

Tip: the recipe halves beautifully

Also How to...Host the Festive Season Healthily & Affordably

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.