Asparagus, ham and Swiss bread pudding

 

Asparagus, ham and Swiss bread pudding

4 day old almond croissants

4 eggs

1 1/3 cup milk

1 1/3 cup half and half cream

1 bunch of asparagus, blanched

1 cup of Swiss cheese, cut into small cubes

1 cup of ham, cut into small cubes

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

fresh thyme, a few sprigs

Directions

To make the pudding, grease a 1 liter loaf pan and line with parchment paper if it is not non-stick.  Rip up the  croissants and layer the croissants, asparagus, ham and cheese in the loaf pan. 

Whisk the eggs in a bowl.  In a saucepan combine the milk and thyme over medium heat.  Bring the milk mixture to just below a boil, remove from the heat and slowly add it to the eggs.  Add the pepper and pour the custard over the croissant mixture.  Let stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soak up the custard.

Preheat the oven to 390 degrees F.

Bake the croissant pudding for about 45 minutes until it is just set and lightly browned on top.  You may need to cover the top with tin foil if the top is browning to quickly.   Allow the pudding to cool slightly, remove from the pan and slice into pieces.