Bread and Butter Pudding
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4
- Remove the crusts from the bread, butter each slice (one side only) and then cut each slice into half (diagonally to make triangles).
- Arrange one layer of bread, buttered-side down over the base of the buttered baking dish.
- Sprinkle the bottom layer with some cinnamon and half the raisins.
- Repeat the same steps making a second layer.
- Cover the second layer of raisins with the remaining bread, again, buttered-side down.
Next make the custard:
- Measure out the milk and add the cream, then whisk together with the eggs, vanilla extract, sugar (add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter).
- Pour the mixture through a fine sieve over the bread. Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the pudding, and some freshly grated nutmeg
- Cover the pudding and allow soak up the custard for at least 1 hour, or you could even refrigerate over night (if soaking overnight – reserve some custard and add before cooking the next day).
To cook
- Place the pudding in a bain-marie (pour in enough water to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish), and bake in the middle of the oven for about 40 – 50 minutes (maybe up to 1 hour), until the top is crisp and golden and the custard is set.
- Serve the pudding warm with some softly whipped Irish cream, or extra custard.