Traditional Bred and Butter Pudding

An old English favourite and probably one of the easiest hot desserts in the world. Tasty as it is, is can be adapted in hundreds of ways to give a different taste every time you bake it.

Take:

• 10 Slices White bread (Stale bread works great)
• 5 eggs,
• 600 ml Milk (Or cream, or half milk, half cream)
• 200g Caster sugar
• 50g Dried fruit
• butter

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4 and grease a casserole dish
2. Butter the bread and arrange butter side up in layers in the casserole dish, sprinkling fruit between the layers
3. Crack the Eggs into a jug and whisk
4. Heat the Milk, or cream in a saucepan, until it's just simmering, then take off the heat and beat in the Eggs
5. Add most of the sugar to the egg mix (Keep a little back for the top)
6. Pour the mixture over the bread, making sure it's all coated in egg. Tuck the corners in if necessary
7. Place the dish in a deep roasting tin, half filled with water and carefully place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
8. When it's out of the oven, sprinkle the top with the remaining sugar and place under the grill for a minute or so, until the sugar glazes.

It can also be made with sponge cake for a different taste, or spread the bread with Jam, lemon curd or even chocolate spread. For an alternative christmas pud, spread mincemeat between the layers.

Serve:
Hot, with cream or ice cream.
There's enough in the recipe to serve 4