Bread and butter pudding: The ultimate comfort dessert

Tom Sellers elevates this nostalgic classic with buttery brioche, orange-scented crème anglaise and a perfectly crisp, caramelised top. Pure comfort in every bite

Golden, caramelised, and custard-soaked - this bread and butter pudding is comfort food at its finest (Handout)

Some desserts exist for show; others, like bread and butter pudding, exist for comfort.

Tom Sellers’ version keeps things classic but luxurious, swapping plain bread for buttery brioche and soaking it in a rich crème anglaise spiked with orange zest.

The key? Letting the pudding rest before baking, so every layer soaks up the custard. The result is golden, crisp edges, a soft, creamy centre and a dessert that feels like a warm embrace.

Bread and butter pudding

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 loaf brioche

1 block soft butter

500ml crème anglaise

50g raisins

50g demerara sugar

For the crème anglaise:

500ml double cream

100g egg yolks

80g caster sugar

Zest of an orange

Method:

1. Make the custard first by heating the cream in a pan.

2. In a separate bowl mix the eggs, sugar and orange zest.

3. Pour the hot cream over the egg mix and combine.

4. Mix and bring it back to the heat, cook for a few minutes, moving constantly until it coats the back of a spoon. Chill and reserve.

5. To make the bread-and-butter pudding, slice the brioche and spread with the soft butter.

6. Start to layer in your dish. After every layer put a handful of raisins and a ladle of anglaise over. Once you have no mix left sprinkle with sugar and leave for 30mins to rest.

7. Bake at 180 degrees for 30 mins.

8. Remove from the oven and leave to cool a bit.

9. Whilst that’s happening, gently heat the remainder of the custard and serve.