Berry and tamarillo croissant pudding cake

ingredients

• Berry and tamarillo jam

  • 5 tamarillos (660g)
  • 250 gram (8 ounces) strawberries, halved (quartered if large)
  • 1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated tangelo rind
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 star anise

• Berry and tamarillo croissant pudding cake

  • 8 croissants (400g), each torn into 4 pieces
  • 125 gram (4 ounces) raspberries
  • 600 millilitre pouring cream
  • 1 cup (250ml) milk
  • 2/3 cup (150g) caster (superfine) sugar
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 2 tablespoon demerara sugar

method

• Berry and tamarillo croissant pudding cake

  • 1

    To make berry and tamarillo jam, score skin at the base of each tamarillo with a sharp knife; plunge into boiling water briefly then into iced water. Remove skin; reserve 3 tamarillos for pudding.

  • 2

    Chop each remaining tamarillo into 12 pieces; place in a small heavy-based saucepan. Add strawberries, sugar, rind, paste and star anise; cook, covered, over low heat, shaking pan occasionally for 5 minutes. Simmer, uncovered, a further 15 minutes or until mixture thickens.

  • 3

    Strain mixture through a fine sieve over a heatproof bowl. Return syrup to pan; simmer over medium heat until reduced by half. Combine reduced syrup with fruit; cool.

  • 4

    Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F. Line base and side of a 24cm (9½-inch) springform pan with one piece of extra wide foil, taking care not to tear foil. Line base only with baking paper; grease whole pan well.

  • 5

    Place croissant pieces, torn-side up, in pan; spoon threequarters of the jam on croissants. Cut reserved tamarillo into thin wedges; place two-thirds of the slices between croissant pieces. Top with raspberries.

  • 6

    Add remaining tamarillo wedges to jam; stir to combine. Refrigerate until needed.

  • 7

    Whisk cream, milk, caster sugar, eggs and paste in a large bowl until combined. Slowly pour custard over croissant and fruit; gently shake pan to ensure custard is evenly distributed.

  • 8

    Place pan on an oven tray; bake for 1½ hours or until golden and just set (custard should still wobble as it will set further on standing). Sprinkle with demerara sugar; stand in pan for 30 minutes. Serve pudding cake warm or at room temperature, topped with remaining jam and, if you like, whipped cream

notes

Lining the cake pan with a layer of foil will keep it ‘water-tight’ during cooking. Do-ahead: the jam can be made a day ahead. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. The pudding is best made on the day.