Bread and Butter Pudding Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 4

300 ml/0.5 pt/1.25 cups milk
150 ml/0.25 pt double (heavy) cream

2.5 ml/0.5 tsp vanilla essence (extract)
2 eggs, beaten
50 g/2 oz/0.25 cup caster (superfine) sugar

8 slices of bread, crusts removed, quartered
25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter or margarine, softened
50 g/2 oz raisins

Grated rind of 1 lemon

Method :

Mix together the milk, cream and vanilla essence in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Beat the eggs with the sugar until pale and thick, then whisk in the milk. Spread the bread with the butter or margarine and layer in a greased 1.2 liter/2 pt/5 cup pie dish with the raisins and lemon rind. Pour in the custard and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for 40 minutes until set and golden brown on top.