Use your loaf...
It always seems so wasteful to throw away leftover food, and bread is no exception. Just because it's no longer super soft doesn't mean you can't include it in some great recipes. In this month's cookery class, Simon Shaw shows you how to make three classic bread-based dishes, plus check out his top tips for getting the most out of past-its-best bread.
Bread and butter pudding
Dating from the 17th century, bread and butter pudding has many variations - some with spices, others with different types of bread - so use whatever you have
Serves 4
Ready in 1 hour 50 minutes
Price per serving 60p
40g butter, plus a little extra for greasing
300ml single cream
100ml milk
50g caster sugar
Few drops of vanilla extract
4 slices white bread (preferably 2-3 days old)
3tbsp sultanas or raisins
3 large free-range eggs, beaten
Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Lightly grease an ovenproof dish. Put the cream, milk and sugar in a pan and heat to just below simmering point. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Butter the bread and cut into triangles. Layer in the dish, overlapping the slices and sprinkle the dried fruit over.
Break the eggs into a bowl and add the cream mixture, whisking slowly. Pour over the bread and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
Sit the dish in a roasting tin containing a little boiling water. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until the top is brown and the custard just set.
Apple Charlottes
This delicious combination of apples with a buttery bread crust, served with custard, is the ultimate comfort food
Serves 4
Ready in 1 hour 15 minutes
Price per serving 55p
2 Bramley cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 eating apple, peeled, cored and cut into small cubes
Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
1 level tbsp light brown sugar
2 level tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
10 medium-thick bread slices, crusts removed
65g butter, softened
½ level tsp ground cinnamon
Custard, to serve
Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Put all the apples in a pan with the lemon zest and juice, brown sugar and 1tbsp water. Cover and cook until the apple is soft.
Tip into a bowl and add the breadcrumbs.
Meanwhile, cut out 4 rounds of bread to fit the bases of 4 individual pudding basins and 4 rounds to fit the tops. Cut enough strips to line the sides of the basins, so that they overlap slightly to ensure there are no gaps. Discard the rest of the bread or whizz in a processor and make crumbs to freeze for later.
Mix the butter with the cinnamon and spread on both sides of the bread. Line the bases and sides of the basins with the buttered bread, fill with the apple mixture and cover with the bread tops.
Put the basins on a baking tray and cook for 25 minutes. Leave for 5 minutes, then turn out and serve hot with custard.
Bread pudding
This old-fashioned teatime treat is just as good served hot or cold
Serves 4
Ready in 2 hours 30 minutes
Price per serving 50p
Butter, for greasing
225g stale white bread
300ml milk, plus a little extra if necessary
175g mixed dried fruit
50g shredded suet
50g light soft brown sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 level tsp Mixed Dried Spice
1 large egg, beaten
Caster sugar, for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2. Grease an ovenproof dish. Break the bread into small pieces and put in a bowl. Pour on the milk and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Mash with a fork to break down any lumps.
Add the dried fruit, suet, brown sugar, spice and egg, and mix well. Add a dash more milk if the mixture seems too stiff - it should be a soft dropping consistency. Put in the prepared dish and level the top.
Bake for about 1 hour 30 minutes or until the top is golden and springs back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool in the dish for at least 20 minutes, then cut into squares and serve sprinkled with caster sugar.
