Traditional bread and butter pudding

[Deblyn]

Slices of day old or two day old bread

Butter

Sugar

Eggs

Milk

Sultanas (optional)

 

Butter the slices of bread on one side, and cut into triangles; arrange in baking dish. Beat 2 - 3 eggs with the same amount of milk, mix in sugar well. Sprinkle sultanas over the bread if using, then pour on the egg mixture. Bake in a medium oven until the custard is set. Serve warm with cream or custard.

 

I usually allow 1 1/2 slices of bread per person; the amount of eggs and milk depends on the amount of bread used and the depth of the dish; the mixture should come about 4/5 the way up the bread; the drier bread at the top will become crunchy and browned in the oven, which contrasts with the rich soft puddingy bit underneath. for special occasions, a dollop of sherry or madeira wine is very good!

 

This is a very traditional English pudding, and is a good way of using up bread and surplus eggs; it's a favourite in this house. Other traditional puddings here are rice pudding, fruit crumble, trifle, apple pie, fruit sponge and custard, fruit pies etc.

 

They are a left-over from the days when work was much more physical, eg farmwork etc, than today. If we ate puddings like that twice a day and not do the necessary amount of physical work and exercise it would cause real health problems. We have a pudding like this once or twice a week, and other times it's yoghurt, fresh fruit, etc. (Although to look at me you'd think I was a twice a day pudding lady!!)

[Dee]

This is the old fashioned recipe that my mother makes. Can you guess what Mr. Reci is going to have for dessert tomorrow night?