Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding

Ingredients

Tick each one off as you go.

• 400 g stale white bread or brioche, in 3 cm cubes
• ⅔ stick (75 g) butter, melted, plus extra for the dish
• ⅔ cup (100 g) raisins or golden raisins
• 500 ml whole milk & 250 ml cream
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup packed (120 g) soft brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla, 1½ tsp cinnamon, nutmeg
• 2 tbsp turbinado sugar, for the top
• Custard or cold cream, to serve

Method

1. Bread in. Butter a 23×33 cm dish. Toss the cubes in the melted butter and scatter in, tucking the raisins between (exposed raisins burn).
2. Custard. Whisk the milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla and spices until fully combined.
3. Soak — don't skip. Pour over, press the bread down to submerge, and rest 20–30 minutes, pressing once more halfway.
4. Bake. Oven at 325°F (170°C, fan 150°C). Demerara over the top; bake 45–50 minutes until puffed and golden with a slight wobble in the center.
5. Rest. Fifteen minutes — it sets as it cools. Warm bowls, cold cream, silence at the table.