Leftovers into dessert: vegan bread and butter pudding
There is something very empowering about taking ingredients (in this case day-old bread) that was destined for the bin, and transforming it into a warm comfort food dessert.
In a world of expensive specialty desserts, let’s face it – most of us would rather have a bowl of humble bread and butter pudding. And when it’s vegan and budget-friendly, all for the good.
Before cooking, read up on food safety for people and pets.
Before recycling cans (say custard), rinse then remove lids (pop ring-pulls over holes). Then step on upper cans to ‘pinch’ inner rims together, to avoid wildlife getting trapped.
Unless you have a food waste bin, bin citrus scraps, as acids could harm compost creatures.
Don’t use fancy bread!
A bread and butter pudding ideally uses day-old white bread. It’s fine to use brown or even sourdough, but this is not a recipe for expensive brioche!
Stale bread (only a day-old to ensure it’s safe) acts like a sponge. To soak up the creamy custard without turning into mush.
Never give leftover stale bread to garden birds or wildfowl. Butter can also smear on feathers, affecting waterproofing and insulation.
No need for expensive cashew cream for this recipe. These are (apart from plant milk) your grandmother’s ingredients; flour, cornstarch, dried fruit and sugar. And optional lemon rind, cinnamon and vanilla.
How to make vegan bread & butter pudding
It’s a simple case of cutting your bread (crusts off) into triangles and layering them in a dish. Then pouring the dried fruits and custard on top. Leave to sit for around 15 minutes to soak before baking.
Good bread and butter pudding is so gooey you can serve it alone. But you can always pour on more custard, or serve it with vegan cream or ice-cream. Or dairy-free yoghurt if preferred.
