Bread Pudding with Bananas, Toffee, and Crème Fraîche

8 servings | 60 min | Medium | Kosher | Vegetarian

Ingredients:

For the pudding:

• 1 challah, not fresh
• 5 eggs
• 200 g sugar
• 500 ml milk
• 250 ml heavy cream
• 1 tbsp quality vanilla extract
• 3 bananas
• 50 g walnuts (optional)

For the toffee:

• 150 g sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• 250 g heavy cream
• A pinch of salt

To serve:

• 200 g Kfar Tavor crème fraîche
• Bananas

Instructions:

1. To make the pudding: Cut the challah into 1-2 cm cubes. In a bowl, mix the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk well until the sugar dissolves. Cut the bananas into 1-2 cm rounds. Add the challah, walnuts, and bananas to the milk and cream mixture. Mix and let soak in the fridge for at least an hour, or overnight.
2. Grease a Pyrex dish with soft butter. Transfer the soaked challah mixture along with any liquid that hasn’t been absorbed. Bake in an oven preheated to 170°C (turbo) for 30-40 minutes, or until the top of the pudding is golden and crisp and the bottom is no longer runny. Let cool for about 15 minutes before serving.
3. To make the toffee: In a small pot, heat the sugar and water until you get a smooth syrup. Meanwhile, heat the cream in a small pot or in the microwave. Continue cooking the syrup until it turns into a brown caramel. Carefully add the hot cream, then add a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes over low heat, until all the caramel has dissolved into the cream. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a few tablespoons of water. Let cool.
4. Serve the pudding with crème fraîche and toffee sauce, with fresh bananas on top if desired.