Friday 8 February 2013

Pretty nice bread and butter pud

Making my own bread, when there is just me can mean that I get an excess. I usually freezer any that is going stale and then at a later stage, when I have enough, bake it in a really really low oven and then put it through a processor as bread crumbs (considering I just saw a tiny pack of breadcrumbs in the supermarket priced at £1.99 I can't quite believe that anyone would pay that ever!).
However, I was watching the Mary Berry story on tv the other day and I thought that I would have a go at bread and butter pudding. I a, usually fairly disappointed with a bread and butter pudding but I now know that it was because I was given a 'bad' one in the past. This was delicious, frugal and really nice. I used margerine rather than butter - simply because I had some and was short of butter at that moment, and I didn't use cream, again, because i didn't have any and also, using semi skimmed milk instead makes it healthier. Even without these 'luxeries' it was delicious.

Just before it went in the oven, seemed to neglect to take an 'after' pic.


Mary Berry's bread and butter pudding.


Ingredients
For the custard

Preparation method
1.     You will need an ovenproof dish about 2½-3 pint/1.4-1.7 litres volume (18 x 23 x 5 cm/7 x 9 x 2 in).
2.     Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and use some of the melted butter to grease the dish.
3.     Combine the dried fruit, sugar, lemon zest and spice together in a bowl and toss to mix well.
4.     Cut each bread slice into three strips. Take sufficient slices to cover the base of the dish and dip one side of each one in melted butter. Lay them in the dish, buttered-side down. Sprinkle with half the dried fruit mixture. Repeat the layering, laying the bread strips buttered-side up. Lay the third and final layer of bread strips on top, buttered-side up.
5.     For the custard, beat together the eggs, cream and milk in a bowl and pour it over the pudding. Sprinkle with demerara sugar, and then leave to stand for about one hour if time allows.
6.     Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden-brown and crisp and the pudding slightly puffed up. Serve hot, or there are some who insist that it is delicious cold!

19 comments:

  1. I made Mary Barry's bread pudding on Tuesday it was bloody soddin bloody lovely

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  2. I remember making that from cookery lessons at school. There wasn't much left by the time I got home though, ha ha.

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  3. I will have to look this recipe up...I use Darina Allen's resipe and it is rich and wonderful!!!

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  4. It certainly looked nice on her programme didn't it. Now you've had a go and confirmed it is good, will have to give it a try. We love bread and butter pudding.

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  5. It is really good made with marmalade sandwiches or damson jam,my daughter likes it with lemon curd sandwiches, lemon zest and flaked almonds

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  6. I'm hardcore about butter, but I rarely use cream in mine, milk is fine and dandy. A splash of vanilla essence works a treat too. This is my all time favourite pudding, and I've had all sorts of variations (even one with Baileys) but it's the basic simple version that always tastes the best.

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    1. To be honest, under normal circumstances I would always have used butter too, only because i didn't have much.

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  7. Simple bread and butter pudding is the best! I like the plain version, just smearing the bread with a smidgen of butter, soaking it in the milk and egg mix, sprinkling a little sugar and a few sultanas or raisins. It usually puffs up like a soufle', is light and utterly delicious. A very winter warming pud if you eat it straight from the oven. So easy to make, and very little ingredients needed. A frugal pudding that always delivers in taste and beautiful texture!

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    1. here here, I will make this every time i have left over bread.

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  8. Bread and butter pud reminds me of being in hospital as a child. It was always on the menu and I didnt like it much. In fact to be honest I dont think I have ever had it since!

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  9. We eat some bread when it is fresh and then slice the lot. I package the slices into small reusable bags and then freeze them. It is easy to thaw a few slices of bred on the bench before making toast or a sandwich. No waste.

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  10. Have you tried old fashion bread pudding also?

    We store up the ends until we have a big bagful and then make a huge trayfull. A real taste of my childhood !

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    1. Actually I haven't, I must give it a go.

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    2. Really easy, soak stale bread in milk and squeeze out. Mix with sugar, spices, dried fruit, eggs and butter. Bake in a tray. Serve hot or cold sprinkled with sugar. I usually stuff old bread end in the freezer until I have enough saved up. Lots of Internet recipes available.

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  11. I always make three or four loaves and 2 dozen rolls when i have a bread day ! Two loaves to eat and two to slice and freeze and the rolls get frozen too.
    There's only me and 2 kids so we often use up the last of the 2nd loaf in a bread and butter pudding - one of favourites :-)

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  12. I've made chocolate and orange bread and butter pudding, just make marmalade sandwiches and sprinkle hot chocolate on the bread!

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  13. Hi I used a recipe from Bish Muir's excellent book, The Use-it -All Cookbook and used some chocolate chips which I had in the cupboard, instead of raisins (a variation she suggests) and it was superb.

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  14. I LOVE bread pudding.but I've never tried bread and butter pudding, sounds delicious. Thank you!

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    1. Good Man ! A staple of a working class childhood. My son is compiling a book of old family recipes so the such don't get forgotten.

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