An Encounter with Jamie and a Bread Pud Recipe

I have been trying to find something different to do with the bananas that my husband asks me to always buy, but then ends up not eating. I am SO over banana bread and banana muffins. But how about this recipe for Bailey's and Banana Bread and Butter Pudding  I stumbled across while thumbing through Jamie's Kitchen cookbook by Jamie Oliver? 

I was lucky enough to meet Jamie Oliver many years ago when I was working for the Navy during a trip Miami. One of my co-workers and I went to lunch at the News Cafe in South Beach, and our waiter pointed him out to me. The waiter said I should go up and ask him for his autograph. I figured what the heck, all he can do is say no! In fact, Jamie was quite nice and his wife was with him and she saw my camera hanging from my purse and offered to take our picture together.

My encounter with Jamie Oliver at South Beach, FL, 2005

And I walked away with an autograph too.

Baileys and Banana Bread and Butter Pudding

Adapted from:  Jamie's Kitchen, A cooking Course for Everyone
                           by Jamie Oliver
                           Copyright 2002

Serves about 6 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

1/2 a loaf pre-sliced white bread, crusts removed (I used an artisan Italian bread. I think 
  brioche or Panettone would work very well or any kind of "egg" bread).
4 tbsp butter, softened
 1 c  sugar plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling
seeds from 1 vanilla bean (I used 2 tsp vanilla bean paste)
4 large eggs
2 1/4 cups heavy cream
2  cups skim milk
1/2 c of Bailey's Irish Cream
4 bananas
1/2 c pecans
1/2 c mini chocolate chips
confectionery sugar for dusting, if desired

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly butter the bread on one side, then cut each piece in half diagonally.
Whisk the sugar, vanilla seeds and eggs together in a large bowl until well combined, then pour in the cream, milk and Bailey's and continue whisking until smooth. Peel and roughly slice the bananas, then roughly bash up the pecans and chocolate, if using.

Rub the inside of a baking dish (roughly 25cm x 30cm) with a little butter, then layer up the bread (butter-side up), bananas, pecans and chocolate, if using, finishing with a final layer of bread (again butter-side up). Drizzle over the Baileys and custard mixture, then leave to stand for around 20 minutes, or until the bread begins to soak up the liquid. I did have leftover liquid, I should have stuck it in the freezer and made it into ice cream!

Layered buttered bread, bananas, pecans and chocolate chips.

Bailey's and egg custard mixture.

Ready for the oven after bread soaks up all the goodness.

Bake in the hot oven for around 35 minutes, or until set around the edges but still wobbly in the middle. I found it needed more time, I ended up baking it for about 50 minutes. I think maybe because I used a deep (souffle) dish.

 

 
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then serve as is. You can sprinkle some caster sugar over the top and blast with a pastry blowtorch to caramelize the top. I imagine you could also just place it under a broiler for a minute to get the same effect. Delicious served with vanilla ice cream. Instead, I made whipped vanilla cream and sprinkled it with chocolate chips to finish. Now I think I should have added some more Bailey's to that whipped cream!

Heavenly!

Great to make for a  pot luck for sure!

A recipe is a big hit when my husband has two helpings of it! This is a very satisfying dessert and will hit the spot, not to mention something different to do with ripe bananas! Enjoy!