Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 day-old white bread boules (each weighing approx 400g (I used Morrisons Coburg cobs - Note 1))
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
  • 200 ml full fat milk
  • 300 ml double/heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 whole eggs (large)
  • 1 egg yolk (large)
  • 100 g light brown muscavado sugar
  • 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 150 g dark, 72% cocoa chocolate (, chopped into small pieces)
  • 600 g strawberries (stalks removed, thinly sliced (slice top-to-bottom, rather than slicing across the strawberries))
  • 6 tbsp Nutella (slightly warmed in a microwave or pan to loosen)
  • 1 small chunk dark chocolate (grated)

Instruction

  • Turn one of the bread boules on it's side, slice the top off, then cut two thick slices (approx 3/4" or 2cm in thickness). Repeat with the other bread boule, so you have 4 thick slices of bread. Using a boule, means they should be round slices, but if they're a little wonky, just try to tease the slices into a round shape.
  • Now take two baking tins that will fit the bread boule slices snugly. I used two oven-proof saucepans, each 15.5cm (6.1") in diameter. Line the sides and base of the pan with baking parchment.
  • Butter both sides of each of the slices of bread with the unsalted butter. Press one piece of the bread into the bottom of each pan. Put to one side whilst you make the custard.
  • Heat the milk, cream and vanilla extract in a saucepan until almost boiling (don't let it boil though).
  • Meanwhile, add the eggs, egg yolk, brown sugar and cornflour together in a large jug. When the milk is almost at boiling point, turn off the heat and add a splash of the hot milk to the eggs whilst stirring with a whisk. Continue to add a splash at a time, whilst stirring until you've used a third of the milk mixture (Note 2), then pour the rest of the milk into the jug and stir.
  • Give your pan a quick wash to remove milk residue, then pour the mixture from the jug back into the pan and heat on a medium heat, whilst stirring, until the mixture thickens to thick-cream consistency. Turn off the heat.
  • Add the butter and chocolate to the pan, and stir until melted. If you're making extra custard, take out half now to save for serving.
  • Pour quarter of the custard mixture over the bread slice in the pan. Repeat with the other pan. Add the other slice of bread into each pan, and push down so it fits snugly on top. Pour over the remaining custard, so it completely covers the bread.
  • Leave to soak into the bread for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
  • Once the bread has soaked, place both pan in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the custard has set.
  • Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto plates and remove the baking parchment. They'll still be a little custardy on the bottom, but that's fine. Turn the cakes back over again, so they're the same way up as when they were cooked.
  • Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate and dizzle or pipe on half of the Nutella. Arrange half the sliced strawberries on top, working from the outside in.
  • Place the remaining layer on top and drizzle with the remaining Nutella, letting it drip down the sides of the cake too. Arrange the rest of the strawberries on top and sprinkle on the grated chocolate before serving. Eat warm or cold.