Caramel Biscuit Pudding

This Caramel Biscuit Pudding is one of those recipes we used to make in Cyprus, which probably has its roots from the British colonization of the island.

My mother used to make this pudding with biscuits and condensed sweet cream. She would add some raisins as well but I prefer to make it with fresh milk and don’t add the raisins as my daughter doesn’t like them.

I did not have a recipe for this dessert but I recreated it out of memory without knowing the exact ingredients.

The biscuits are soaked with the milk and sugar and then flavouring is added and the eggs are incorporated. Blanched almonds and raisins are also added.

A caramel is prepared which is spread on the baking tin and the biscuit mixture is poured on top. It is then baked in the oven. When it cools, it is inverted in a platter so that the caramel is now on the top.

Note:

When it is baked the pudding will be wobbly. Don’t worry, as it will set as it cools. However, you must invert the dessert before it cools completely, as the caramel will stick to the baking tin as it cools and it will be hard to invert.

When making the Caramel, make sure to fill frying pan immediately with water after making caramel, as it will get stiff and will be difficult to clean.

Caramel Biscuit Pudding

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Serves: 28 cm / 11” baking tin

Ingredients:

1 ½ packets whole grain Petit Beurre biscuits
1 cup sugar
6 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 eggs
½ cup blanched and coarsely cut almonds
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon lemon zest

For the caramel:

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
About 2 tbsp water

Directions:

Blanch almonds. Peel and cut them into small pieces.

Cut the biscuits in a bowl. Add milk, lemon zest and vanilla and let them soak for 15 minutes. Meantime prepare the caramel.

Place the sugar, water and lemon juice, just enough to moist the sugar, in a small frying pan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and stir constantly until the sugar starts turning into a light or deep (if your prefer) amber colour.

Empty caramel syrup into a 28 cm / 11 inch baking tin and spread it quickly with a spoon, while hot.

Beat the eggs with the sugar and mix in the biscuits, as well as the almonds. (The mixture will be watery but don’t worry as it will set when baked).

Pour mixture, into the baking tin and bake in a preheated oven to 180^o C / 350^o F, for about 50 minutes.

Let it cool just enough to be handled and loosen the sides. Turn the pudding upside down in a round platter so that caramel is now on the top. Do not wait until it cools as the caramel will stick to the tin.

Serve with extra caramel sauce on top.

This recipe is included in my cookbook Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste as well as in volume 2 of my e-cookbook.

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,