Our daily bread

Classic Bread Pudding
Serves 8-10

12 slices white bread with crusts, about 1cm thick, buttered
100g raisins, plumped in 3 tbsp dark rum or brandy
4 large eggs, plus 1 large yolk
70g sugar
600ml milk
600ml double cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract
¾ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt

Sugar topping
2 tbsp caster sugar
¼ tsp grated nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3.
2. Mix the topping ingredients together and set aside.
3. Butter a 33 x 22cm baking dish. Lay one layer of bread in the bottom and scatter the raisins over, then repeat.
4. In a bowl, whisk all the other ingredients and pour over the bread. Leave to stand for 10 minutes till it has seeped right down. Sprinkle the topping over, and bake for 45 minutes till golden and rising up the edges of the pan.
5. So that it doesn’t set like a custard tart, take it out when the centre wobbles a little when shaken and a knife in the middle comes out coated with half-set cream. It will continue to cook as it cools in a warm place for about 35 minutes. Then serve warm.

Variations

• Add 115g chopped walnuts with the raisins.
• Instead of walnuts and raisins, include 20g each of candied orange peel and candied pineapple, chopped finely.
• For a chocolate version, add 2 tbsp good cocoa to the custard.

Method variation
Reserve 2 slices of bread and butter one side with melted butter. Cut the rest into cubes about 1cm thick by 4cm square and allow to steep in the custard mix for 20 minutes before pouring into the baking dish. Cut the remaining slices into triangles and lay over the pudding. Push down gently to partially submerge and scatter the sugar on top for a crusty brown finish.