Bread and butter pudding advice please

[mrsmike]

I have a big tub of single cream that needs using, and like the thought of bread and butter pudding on this cold afternoon - could I use the cream mixed up with the eggs instead of milk? Or does it curdle when cooked? Thanks

Oh yum.

Will be fine I reckon.

Thank you. I think I've had bad experiences of cream curdling in my past. Feel distinctly worried though can't pinpoint any recent traumas
But why does my cheese sauce curdle when I add the cheese?

Um, now that I can't answer

Not that I'm an expert, but single cream shouldn't curdle. I can only think you overheated it maybe when you made the sauce. If you're worried you could add some milk to thin it out. I'm feeling soooo hungry now

Do you have milk? as i would make up the pudding as per the recipe then pour the cream on to serve

I don't think it will curdle but I think it will be a bit rich and might not soak into the bread very well...? I would use half cream and half milk, and then serve the remaining cream alongside.

Your cheese sauce shouldn't curdle when you add cheese! Mine doesn't anyway! What kind of cheese are you using? In what way does it curdle? Does it smooth out if you keep stirring?

single cream is more prone to curdling than double btw, if you use single cream in a sauce/soup recipe with any acid in it will curdle, whereas double is a lot more tolerant.

Another good tip is to add the sauce to the cream, not the cream to the sauce iyswim.

Single cream WILL probably curdle and make you scrambles eggs. Sorry.

How about bread and butter pudding with lashings of cream ontop.

Alternatively be EXTREMLY careful and do not let the custard go aywhere above a very genlt simer.

HTH

Ooh yes. Sorry. Single cream.

I do use cream for bread and butter pudding, but double cream.

Oh no! Now what can I do with this gigantic tub of cream that has to be used up today?
My cheese sauce curdles when I add the cheese, when it's still on the heat. If I take it off the heat and let it cool down, it doesn't. I'm sure this never used to happen to me - thought it was something to do with the fat content in today's cheeses (pseudo scientific ramblings based on errm, nothing), but maybe I've just been overheating it?

Maybe you are not using enough flour in the beginning? (cheese sauce, I mean). What kind of cheese is it? Cheddar?

I reckon you would be fine to just add a slug of cream to your bread pudding recipe. I wouldn't go for total cream but say 25-30% should be fine. however if you don't want to risk it how about...

Pasta carbonara - but add cream right at the end and don't let it boil.
Leek and potato soup with lots of cream.
Baked apples with cream.
Pommes dauphinoise (might curdle a bit but just grate some cheese over and bake a bit longer to disguise)
Creme Brulee (you can make this with half double and half single cream)

Ok, Hate to be the bore her.

SINGLE Cream will split if you try and cook with it. (UNLESS you are a. very Lucky, or b. very expereinced and very lucky)

But you can freeze single cream, and it make great ice cream!

But if you have ice cube bags / ice cube trays pour cream in and freeze. Pop out of ice cube tray into a plastic bag and leave in freezer. Hey presto cream for just about anything for the next few months and very use full coming up to cristmas!

What about making ice cream with it. Would normally make with double cream but I will be ok as long as you let everything cool down befor you mix in the single cream.

Sorry

Oh and the reason why you r cheese source splits when you add the cheese on the heat is to do with very boring chemestry. You need to remove the white source from the heat and add your cheese.

Thank you Starynight, I thought science was involved somehow and I think I will try freezing it in ice cube trays too

I agree that single cream often splits when you cook it (especially if you boil it). But I make cheese sauce and add the cheese on the hob, and mine never splits! It definitely SHOULDN'T split, even if you boil it. The flour may go into lumps if you don't stir it well but good quality cheese will not split if you heat it (look at fondue, for example - the cheese in that is boiled with wine and it stays creamy).

Here is my recipe:

take a good knob of butter (an ounce or two)
take 3 or 4 heaped tablespoonfuls of plain flour.

melt butter in a non-stick pan. Add flour. Stir until a bread-crumby/pastey texture. Cook flour well. When it smells nice then add a dribble of milk and mix. It will instantly go thick. Keep adding milk and stirring until the mixture is no longer paste-like and has a pouring texture. Stir in a spoonful of English mustard (optional) and about 3 or 4 oz of grated, full-fat mature cheddar.

If it splits I will eat my hat.