Brioche ginger pudding with glazed pineapple

• serves

  8

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  1:20 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 ripe pineapple, skin and core removed, thinly sliced
• 55 g (¼ cup) brown sugar
• 150 g caster sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 500 ml (2 cups) milk
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 300 ml thickened cream
• 2 tbsp stem ginger in syrup (see Note), chopped
• 1 kg (2 loaves) brioche (see Note), cut into 2 cm-thick slices
• mascarpone, to serve

Caramel popcorn

• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp popping corn
• 100 g unsalted macadamia nuts, chopped
• 120 g unsalted butter, chopped
• 150 g (⅔ cup) white sugar
• 2 tbsp honey

Resting time 45 minutes

Drink match 2012 Henschke Muscat of Tappa Pass, Eden Valley, SA ($29.50)

Instructions

To make caramel popcorn, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat until a corn kernel moves around when added to the oil; this indicates the oil is hot enough. Add corn, cover and cook, shaking the pan several times, for 5 minutes or until the sound of popping subsides. Place on an oven tray lined with baking paper, then scatter over macadamias.

Place butter, sugar and honey in a small pan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and bring to the boil. Allow to boil, without stirring, for 5 minutes or until caramel is golden brown. Working quickly, pour caramel over popcorn and nuts. Cool and break into small pieces. Set aside until needed.

Cook pineapple, in batches, in a hot chargrill pan over medium–high heat for 4 minutes each side or until tender and charred. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Set aside.

Meanwhile, to make ginger custard, whisk together caster sugar and egg yolks. Place milk and ground ginger in a saucepan over medium–high heat and bring to just below boiling point. Pour over egg mixture. Return to a clean saucepan over low–medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Remove from heat and stir in cream and stem ginger.

Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line the base and side of a 24 cm springform pan. Wrap base of pan in foil. Place one-third of brioche, cutting to size, to cover base of pan. Top with one-third of the ginger custard, then one-third of pineapple. Repeat with another layer of brioche, custard and pineapple, then top with remaining brioche and custard. Reserve remaining pineapple for serving. Rest pudding for 30 minutes for custard to soak.

Place pudding in a deep roasting pan and pour enough boiling water to come halfway up side of pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden and custard has set. Rest pudding for 15 minutes. Top with reserved pineapple and serve with mascarpone and caramel popcorn.

Notes

• Stem ginger in syrup is available from delis and specialist food shops. 

• Brioche is available from supermarkets and select bakeries.

Photography Derek Swalwell

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.