White chocolate and rhubarb bread and butter pudding

Serves 6

1 loaf of stale ciabatta or any other white bread or croissant
1 cup poached rhubarb
1 cup white chocolate buttons
4 eggs
1 cup milk
¾ cup cream
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 160°C. To make your custard, beat eggs, salt, milk, cream, sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

Lightly grease an ovenproof dish or individual ramekins. Slice the bread or croissants and layer in your dish with the poached rhubarb and white chocolate buttons, finishing with some rhubarb and chocolate on top. 

Pour custard mix evenly over the puddings, leave to rest for half an hour for the bread to completely absorb the liquid. Bake for about 30 minutes. The puddings will rise slightly when cooked, and then deflate once cold.

Cool a little before serving with extra rhubarb and some vanilla ice cream. 

Poached rhubarb: Cut the rhubarb into two centimetre lengths and place into a bowl. Make a sugar syrup using one cup of sugar, one cup of water and a dash of vanilla. Bring sugar and water to the boil. Then quickly pour over the cut rhubarb, cover and set aside. Allow rhubarb to cool in the syrup.