Bread and Butter Pudding

I use an enamel pie dish and mine measures 26cm x 20cm x 2.5cm deep. You will also need a roasting tin large enough to hold the pudding tin.

Start by well buttering your pie dish or use lining paste then set aside. In a small bowl sprinkle the spice and sugar over the fruit and give a good stir.

Butter the bread on one side then cut into squares. Place the first layer of bread butter side down into the pudding tin.  Sprinkle over one third of the fruit and sugar mix and a good grating of lemon zest.  Layer over more buttered bread and repeat adding further fruit, sugar and lemon zest then finishing with a layer of bread, butter side down.

In a large jug beat the eggs together then add the milk and cream and give a good stir.

Pour the mixture over the bread, allowing it to run down between cracks and crevices. Push your bread down into the liquid making sure the surface bread gets a coating.

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees c (fan) and bring a large kettle of water to the boil.

Place your pudding into the roasting tin then pour boiling water into the roasting tin allowing it to come about half way up the pudding dish. Sprinkle over the demerera sugar then bake for 30-35 minutes until the pudding is risen and golden brown.

Take from the water bath and serve warm with cream, ice-cream or custard. The pudding will be deliciously light, tasty, wholesome with a crunchy top !!

TIP. This pudding works beautifully using my left over fruit braid. If you decide to use left over fruited bread omit the fruit, sugar and spice in the recipe.

TIP. This pudding can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the fridge covered in clingfilm. In fact the pudding is much improved if the egg and milk mix is allowed to soak into the bread for at least an hour before baking.

TIP Do use a Bain Marie (placing the pudding in the roasting tin with boiling water). Your pudding will be much better for it with no burning around the edges.