The Autumn air grows chilly and cold while fruits and nuts thud on the ground, falling from trees and bushes, ripe for harvest. It’s the perfect time to turn to warming, comforting dishes that make use of all that nature’s seasonal larder has to offer; berries, pears, apples and nuts, available in rich abundance.
Belvoir Fruit Farms who make all their Pressés and Cordials with wholly natural ingredients; freshly pressed fruits and gently infused flowers and spices has worked with leading chefs including 2015 Great British Bake Off Finalist, Ian Cumming to produce a quartet of mouth-watering Autumnal recipes to make the most of this bountiful season.
We’ve used a mix of dried summer berries in this pudding – you’ll find them in the baking section of most supermarkets. They’re a mix of dried cranberries, cherries and blueberries. If you prefer though, you could use raisins or sultanas instead.
Ingredients
- 100g dried summer berries
- 100ml Belvoir Blueberry & Blackcurrant Cordial
- 300ml whole milk
- 300ml double cream
- 3 large eggs
- 50g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 7 slices brioche loaf
- 50g soft butter
- a little Demerara sugar to sprinkle
Equipment: 1.2ltrl/21/2pt ovenproof dish.
Preparation time: 25mins + soaking time Cooking time: 35-40mins Serves 8
Method
- Place the dried fruits in a small bowl, pour over the cordial and stir well. Cover and leave to soak for at least 30 mins, longer if time allows.
- Preheat the oven to 180oC/Fan 160oC/Gas Mark 4. Fill and boil the kettle. Butter a 1.2ltrl/21/2pt ovenproof dish.
- Pour the milk and cream into a pan and bring to the boil. In a large jug, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together. Pour the hot milk over the egg mixture and mix well. Set aside.
- Spread the brioche slices with butter then cut them in half diagonally. Place 4 triangles on the base of the dish and scatter over half the fruit. Arrange the remaining brioche slices on top, making a neat pattern. Scatter over the remaining soaked fruits and any juices.
- Pour the egg mixture over the brioche and press down the bread so that it soaks up some of the liquid. Transfer the dish to a roasting tin and pour boiling water from the kettle to come half way up the outside of the dish. Sprinkle over the Demerara over the top of the pudding.
- Bake for 35-40mins or until the top is golden. Leave to cool for 10 mins before serving warm or cold with pouring cream.
Let’s embrace what the Autumn provides and give these recipes a go. For more mouth-watering recipes from Ian Cumming and other well-loved chefs, visit www.belvoirfruitfarms.co.uk.
