Recipes for Bread and Butter Pudding

In the wintertime I like nothing more than a heart- warming meal. When the nights begin to draw in and I light the fire in the evenings, I make comforting casseroles, soups and puddings.

Although I try to keep a balanced diet for my family, now and again I’ll bake a bread and butter pudding from leftovers in the cupboard.

Bread and butter pudding is an old British classic dish. Often it is associated with school dinners, which could bring back memories good or bad!

The dish was traditionally made with stale bread and currants or raisins, but it can be made in many ways. It can appeal to children especially a chocolate variety, or for grown-ups by adding a liqueur.

This is the basic recipe for bread and butter pudding:

Ingredients

• 10 - 12 slices of bread (not fresh)
• Approx 50g/2oz Butter
• 50g/2oz Currants, Sultanas or Raisins
• 350ml/ 12fl oz Milk
• 50ml / 2fl oz Double Cream
• 2 Eggs
• 25g / 1oz Granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp Grated Nutmeg

Method

Grease a 1 litre oblong oven proof dish and pre-heat the oven to 180 c/ gas mark 4.

Butter each slice of bread on one side. Cut off the crusts and cut diagonally in half.

Arrange a layer of bread in the greased dish butter side up. Next sprinkle on the raisins and cinnamon then arrange another layer of bread on top.

In a saucepan, heat up the milk and cream gently, but do not let it come to the boil.

Crack the eggs and most of the sugar in a bowl and whisk. Add the milk and cream, whisking continuously.

Strain through a sieve, pouring onto the bread and butter evenly. Add the nutmeg and sprinkle on the remainder of the sugar.

Let the mixture soak into the bread for around 30 minutes, then bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

You can add extra ingredients to your bread and butter pudding if you wish. Try spreading marmalade on the bread as well as the butter and add vanilla.

Brown bread works as well as white bread, so use whatever you have in your pantry.

Now that you have the basic recipe for bread and butter pudding, why not try using different ingredients?

You don’t have to use your sliced bread…

Panettone Bread and Butter Pudding

I always buy panettone at Christmas time but it never gets eaten. When the festive period is over, I slice it up, layer it in a greased dish and add my custard.

It already contains dried fruit and butter, so it’s quick and easy!

Bread and Butter Pudding with Croissants

This feels a bit more luxurious. Use all butter croissants instead of bread.

Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding

At Easter I always buy hot cross buns, freeze them then discover them a few months later.

Using them for a bread and butter pudding is an alternative use for them.

If you don’t have hot cross buns, use currant tea cakes.

Bread and Butter Pudding with Alcohol

For a grown up tasty treat, try adding Irish Whiskey Cream to your bread and butter pudding.

Add cocoa powder to your custard then lace with rum or coffee liqueur. Or perhaps add amaretto?

Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding

You can vary this however you like, using any bread base you prefer.

Make chocolate custard by adding cocoa powder.

Sprinkle chocolate buttons or broken cubes of chocolate of any kind to your pudding, instead of dried fruit.

Bake in the oven then enjoy a naughty but nice dessert.

If you are not a chocolate person, try adding summer fruit berries or nuts of your choice.

This old fashioned pudding can be great for a low budget dessert, or worthy of a grown up dinner party. Enjoy!