Cheese Pudding (rich and bold Rutland savoury cheese custard)

Part-served baked cheese pudding topped with sliced tomato and chives with toast on the side.

No ratings yet

Cheese Pudding (rich and bold Rutland savoury cheese custard)

Baked cheese pudding is a hearty and comforting bake with a creamy, savoury centre and a golden, cheesy crust. Known as Rutland savoury cheese custard, it's a rustic old-fashioned English recipe made with simple ingredients and it's full of flavour.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Rest (cool)10

Total Time45

Course: lunch

Cuisine: British, East Midlands, Midlands

Servings:

Calories: 581kcal

Author: Jane Coupland

Equipment

1 Baking dish approximately 18cm round or 15cm square and around 5-6cm deep.

Ingredients

100 g Mature Cheddar Cheese
100 g Red Leicester Cheese
2 Eggs large, free-range
¼ teaspoon English Mustard Powder
¼ teaspoon Salt
⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
60 g Butter
60 g Plain Flour
280 ml Whole Milk
1 tablespoon Chives finely chopped (optional)
3 Slices of Tomato (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180℃/ 350℉ and grease your baking dish with a knob of butter.
Finely grate the cheddar cheese and Red Leicester cheese, mix them together in a large bowl and set 20g aside.
To the bowl add in the eggs, salt, pepper, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce and chives (if using). Mix well.
Now melt the butter in a small pan. Add the flour and mix to a roux.
Add the milk, bit by bit, whisking well between each addition until smooth.
Heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce becomes very thick.
Take the pan off the heat and fold in the cheese mixture until smooth.
Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and scatter the reserved cheese over the top.
Optional: Blot 3 slices of tomato on kitchen towel and arrange over the top of the batter.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden & puffy on top with a slight wobble in the centre. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before serving with toast.

Notes

Use the correct size pan: Don't forget to grease it well to prevent your cheese pudding from sticking to it.
Add extra salt with caution: The cheese already adds robust flavour.
Use a digital food thermometer to check if it's done: When baked to perfection, the centre of your pudding should be around (75-80°C/ 170-175°F. At this point the edges will be looking nicely golden, the top puffy and the centre will have a slight wobble to it.

Variations

The traditional Rutland recipe for cheese custard has no garnishes, making it very rustic in appearance. To enhance the visual appeal and add a bit of cosy charm try the following additions:

Thinly sliced tomato rounds: Place them on the top just before baking (blot each slice on kitchen paper to remove excess moisture).
Chopped herbs: Mix 1 tablespoon of finely chopped chives or parsley into the batter before baking then scatter another ½ tablespoon over the top just before serving.
Red chilli: De-seed and finely dice a small red chilli (medium heat) then fold it into the batter before baking. Definitely not traditional, but very delicious.
Midlands cheese: To play-up the regional nature of this recipe swap half of the cheddar cheese for a cheese associated with the East Midlands. Try Red Leicester, Blue Stilton or Lincolnshire Poacher.

Serving Suggestions

Rutland cheese pudding is traditionally served with toast - the baked custard is spooned onto the toast and spread with a knife.

It is, however, also delicious served with crusty bread, especially sourdough, and a fresh & crispy green side salad.

Should you wish to stick with the Midlands food theme, I highly recommend serving your cheese custard alongside Brummie bacon cakes. This savoury scone-like bake is the perfect partner, bringing a deliciously tangy and salty contrast to the rich, creamy custard.

Nutrition