Masala Chai and Jaggery Bread and Butter Pudding - Nothing says Winter quite like a bone warming, hearty bread and butter pudding. This isn't an everyday dessert but more an occasional treat. Nor is this a traditional Bread and Butter Pudding. Here I have mixed it up little with the spices used in masala chai and used jaggery in place of caster or brown sugar to add some smoky molasses flavour and buttery caramel notes.
Jaggery is a healthier option then refined sugars. The one I use is this one. I also use Rapadura from time to time and that is pretty similar in flavour but it comes from Latin America and Jaggery comes from India. I love both equally but I use Rapadura more because I know that finding organic Jaggery is difficult and can be expensive if used a lot.
There are many benefits to using Jaggery in desserts, such as:
- It aids in proper digestion of food.
- It helps to cleanse the liver by flushing out toxins from the body.
- It contains many minerals like zinc and selenium, which help prevent premature ageing.
- Jaggery acts as a natural sweetener and provides energy for longer then refined sugars.
Bit off topic but do you find yourself wanting to do certain things when stressed? Like repeated behaviour. I do. There are a couple of destructive things I used to do but nowadays I find myself wanting to write more and more when I experience anything that is emotionally taxing. I am aware however, that this may not be appealing to readers and so instead I find myself holding back from putting out fresh content. I realise that this isn't the best strategy and it is something that I am working on.
I do however write in my diary as this is something that we have been encouraged to do by our teacher. It really helps me to address those feelings and is a great way of letting things go. On other days, I succumb to a bowl of comfort food like this bread and butter pudding. It really does make the best woe is me food.
P.s. About the blueberries..you can use any fruit you like for the topping, including dried fruits and nuts. I just happened to have blueberries on hand and they just happened to work really well with the chai flavour in this pudding!
Masala Chai and Jaggery Bread and Butter Pudding
Masala Chai and Jaggery Bread and Butter Pudding - Nothing says Winter quite like a bone warming, hearty bread and butter pudding. This isn't an everyday dessert but more an occasional treat. Here I have mixed it up little with the spices used in masala chai and used jaggery in place of caster or brown sugar to add some smoky molasses flavour and buttery caramel notes.
Ingredients
Masala Chai
- 400 ml Milk Of your choice. I love Oatly
- 200 ml Double Cream
- 100 g Jaggery sliced finely
- 1 tbsp Indian Tea Leaves Such as Assam or Darjeeling or a Black Teabag
- 7 Cardamom Pods lightly crushed
- 1 small Cinnamon Stick
- 1 inch Ginger grated
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg ground
- 2 Cloves lightly crushed
- 2 Peppercorns
Other
- 3 Eggs
- 5 tbsp Butter Divided
- 6 slices Bread
- 2 tbsp Blueberries
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3, 165 C.
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Add all the ingredients for the Masala Chai to to a medium pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes.
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Butter a large dish and set aside.
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Make sure the milk is cool and then whisk the eggs and half the butter into the milk. Add Bread to the dish. Set aside for 3 - 4 minutes.
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Pour into a baking dish. Add Blueberries and poke them below the surface. Add remaining butter over top. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until golden on top and the inside is set but retains some wobble.
Recipe Notes
Adding the jaggery immediately after the tea has come off the stove, will curdle the milk. To avoid this, I usually wait a minute before stirring it in vigorously.
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