Raisin bread & butter pudding recipe

I’ve used the enriched brioche-style cinnamon swirl raisin bread which I posted recently to make this bread-and-butter pudding recipe. It was absolutely delicious. The bread soaks in all the custard to bake into a pudding that is not overwhelmingly sweet. The brown sugar gives this dessert a crunchy topping along with the toasted almonds.

You can use shop-bought raisin bread or alternatively any other soft bread like brioche, kitka (challah) or fruity buns. If you are using a bread that doesn’t have raisins in it already, then soak ¾ of a cup of raisins and or sultanas in boiling water to soften, drain and then add these to the custard in between the bread slices. The bread had cinnamon in it so you could add this in if you are using a bread without it. Add a teaspoon.

Recipe – serves 6

Ingredients

Aprox 400-450gms raisin bread cut into thick slices about 2cm thick
Butter for spreading softened
3 free-range eggs
1/3 cup 80ml caster sugar
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of an orange
1/2 tsp cinnamon if you are not using cinnamon raising bread optional
2 Tbsp Demerara / Muscovado sugar or other brown sugar
50 gms of toasted almonds to serve
Dusted icing sugar
Yoghurt cream or ice cream to serve

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350 F and grease an appropriately sized oven-proof baking dish with butter. You want one with fairly deep sides, such as a medium Pyrex dish.
Cut the bread into thick slices and butter generously on each side, then slice in half.
Whisk the eggs and caster sugar together until pale and then add the cream and milk. Whisk to combine. Add the vanilla extract and orange zest (and cinnamon).
Places the bread slices into the greased baking dish overlapping as you go and ensuring the dish is covered. Pour over the egg mixture and allow it to soak into the bread for at least 20 minutes. Sprinkle over the Demerara or Muscovado sugar
Bake for 35 - 45 minutes and until golden brown and set. Cover the dish loosely with tin foil from about 20 minutes into the baking time to prevent over-browning. Dust the bread-and-butter pudding with icing sugar and scatter over your toasted almonds or almond slices. Serve warm with Greek yoghurt, cream, or ice cream.
To give this pudding a boozy edge, add 2 Tbsp orange liqueur or brandy to the custard

Author: Sam Linsell