This week, we’re introducing a touch of sweetness with a pair of recipes that can be prepared beforehand, stored in the refrigerator and effortlessly reheated in the microwave when ready to serve. Essentially, these desserts are ideal if you’re entertaining guests, as they require little preparation but deliver tantalising flavours.
Firstly, we present the humble bread and butter pudding. This dessert, both thrifty and versatile, provides an intense dose of comfort. While the earliest documentation of this dish hails from 1728, it’s believed to have been around in various forms for centuries prior. Originally a dish for the working class, it was concocted from stale bread and butter soaked in a mixture of sugar, milk, and eggs. Contemporary renditions incorporate dried fruits and spices, a far cry from the medieval version which substituted bone marrow for butter; a thought which doesn’t exactly elicit the most pleasant of images. Hopefully, our modern iteration is more palatable.
This culinary narrative draws upon my genesis as a cook at The Chart House in Dingle, Co Kerry. This quaint establishment had a compact kitchen that demanded perfect strategic planning to efficiently serve approximately 80 customers nightly during peak summer season. Our kitchen staff included three chefs and an array of appliances – a single oven, four gas hobs, a frying appliance and a microwave. Our gastronomic output entailed seven appetisers, nine main dishes and six desserts. It was a demanding endeavour, but ingenious organization and our head chef’s expertise culminated in an effective business model. The model was characterized by minimal payroll, rapid customer turnover and optimal utilisation of limited space. This experience demonstrated that with the right mindset, any scenario can be made to work. The restaurant, recipient of the esteemed Michelin Bib Gourmand award, continued to thrive for 27 years, a testament to its resilience within a challenging industry.
Turning our attention to the dessert in question, our task was to devise two or three sweet specialties that could be microwaved whilst preserving their palate-pleasing profiles. Owing to the oven’s scarcity during service – it simply could not cope with the demands. This sweet course was supremely suited to the task at hand: it could be baked in bulk before service, chilled, portioned and was microwave-ready, waiting to be adorned with a sizeable scoop of in-house ice cream. It represented the epitome of simplicity, ingenuity, pragmatism, economy and above all, gustatory pleasure. The secret ingredient that adds to its charm is Baileys cream – it’s impact on a sweet dish reminiscent of the role soy sauce plays in savoury cuisines, rendering the dish insatiably addictive. Do experiment with this recipe – you will undoubtedly find yourself fervently scraping the edges of the tray.
The second dessert offers a refreshing alternative, embodying the essence of the piña colada cocktail. The sweetened coconut milk can be prepared and refrigerated ahead of time. Garnished with pineapple and complemented by lime zest, mint and desiccated coconut, this tropical concoction brings the essence of sun-drenched August days right into your living room. All you need to complete the vision is a hammock and a palm tree.
Recipe: Baileys-infused bread and butter pudding
Recipe: ‘Piña colada’ inspired panna cotta.