Description
This Chunky Ciabatta Bread Sauce with Clotted Cream is a rich and comforting British classic, featuring a savory milk infusion with aromatic spices and hearty chunks of ciabatta bread. Finished with creamy butter and clotted cream, it’s the perfect accompaniment to roast dinners or festive poultry dishes.
Ingredients
Scale
Spices & Aromatics
- 1 onion, halved
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 black peppercorns
- pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- pinch of salt
Liquids
- 1 litre full-fat milk
Other Ingredients
- 1 x 270g loaf ciabatta
- 25g butter
- 2 tbsp clotted cream
Instructions
- Infuse the Milk: Place the halved onion, cloves, bay leaf, black peppercorns, and a pinch of salt into a saucepan with the full-fat milk. Heat the mixture gently until it just reaches a boil, then remove from heat and allow it to infuse for 20 minutes to develop the aromatic flavors.
- Prepare the Bread: While the milk is infusing, cut the ciabatta loaf into chunks and pulse them in a food processor until coarse crumbs form, keeping the texture chunky rather than finely ground.
- Combine and Simmer: Strain the infused milk into a clean saucepan, discarding the onion and spices. Stir in the chunky ciabatta crumbs and return to a gentle simmer over low heat. Cook for 2 minutes, allowing the bread to absorb the milk and thicken the sauce.
- Finish the Sauce: Remove the saucepan from heat, then stir in the butter, clotted cream, and freshly grated nutmeg. Mix well, taste, and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed. Serve warm as a savory accompaniment.
Notes
- Use full-fat milk and clotted cream for a rich, creamy texture typical of traditional bread sauce.
- The ciabatta should be processed into chunky crumbs to provide texture rather than a smooth sauce.
- This sauce pairs wonderfully with roast chicken, turkey, or game birds, especially during festive meals.
- Infusing the milk slowly ensures the sauce has a delicate yet robust flavor from the spices and onion.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: bread sauce, clotted cream sauce, ciabatta bread sauce, British sauce, traditional bread sauce, roast dinner sauce
