Spiced Bread Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

1 large onion
12 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tsp black peppercorns
650ml full cream milk
Sea salt
110g crustless white bread
50g butter
50ml double cream
Nutmeg (optional)

You can make the bread sauce up to the end of step 2 on Christmas Eve and then simply reheat on Christmas Day, adding butter and cream to loosen it. It also freezes really well. Make it up to the end of step 2, then cool it and freeze in a tub for up to 3 months. Defrost it completely before reheating and following the rest of the recipe.

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Method

1. Peel and quarter the onion. Stud it with the cloves. Pop it in a pan with the bay leaf, peppercorns, milk and a pinch of salt. Place over a medium heat and slowly bring to the boil. Take off the heat. Cover. Leave to infuse for 2 hrs.

2. Blitz the bread in a food processor to make fine crumbs, or grate it by hand. Strain the milk through a sieve into a jug. Wipe the pan clean. Put the bread in the pan. Pour in the infused milk. Add half the butter. Gently heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 mins till the bread sauce is thick. Take off the heat. Cover till needed.

3. When you’re ready to serve, put the sauce back on the heat, add the remaining butter and the cream. Grate in a little fresh nutmeg if you have it. Gently warm through. Taste, add a pinch more salt if needed, then serve.