Bread and Butter Pudding 1
Bread and Butter Pudding 1
Yashoda Gupta, written by Mamta
This is a popular English pudding which became quite well known in India during the time of the British Empire. My mother used to make this pudding in 1950s-60s. There were no ovens in Indian homes then. My father had designed a cement and brick compartment for her, a sort of oven, placed between two charcoal stoves built in a cement platform of standing height. It had a cast iron door and a shelf in the middle. There was no temperature gauge, but she made all sorts of biscuits, some cakes and puddings in it quite successfully. Recipes came from the Woman and Home magazine, which she used to get every month. We embroidered every pattern that was ever published in it in those days, on cushion cover or table cloth or tea-cosy or as a wall hangings.
As it is quite filling, make sure you keep some room at dinner! Traditionally, it is made with sultanas/raisins, but as my husband hates them, I often add dry cherries (not candied) or dry blue berries or other dry fruits. The traditional flavouring is from nutmeg, but I often use green cardamom or cinnamon powder, flavours of many Indian milk puddings. I also add chopped almonds and pistachios sometimes.
To make it richer, you can use full cream milk, but I find that it is quite good even with semi-skimmed milk.
Serves 3-4.
Edited July 2024
Ingredients
4 slices of small white or whole wheat/brown bread
25-30 gm. or 1 oz. butter at room temperature (soft)
25-30 gm or 1 oz. raisins/sultanas/other dry berries or cherries
125 ml. or 1/4 pint milk
30 ml. or 1 oz cream or 'Malai' or the thick milk skin. Cream was not available in 1950s-60s India, so my mum used Malai milk skin that formed at the top of boiled milk. You can use double cream.
25-30 gm. or 1 oz. Boora/caster sugar, adjust to taste
2 standard eggs
A sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg or cinnamon powder or green cardamom powder
An oblong baking dish of approximately 1 litre (2 pints) and 3-4 inches deep
Other options:
Add 1 tsp. grated lemon or orange zest/peel to the milk mix.
Instructions
Butter the baking dish on all sides. I use
Remove crusts from bread slices. I often leave the crust.
Cut slices into triangles or squares to be able to fit the dish you are using.
Butter each slice equally on both sides. Keep aside.
Butter your baking dish. Keep aside.
Place milk, cream, caster sugar, eggs and freshly grated nutmeg/cinnamon/cardamom powder in a bowl or jug and beat them well.
Add lemon/orange zest, if used. Mix.
Arrange one layer of buttered bread at the base of the baking dish. You may need to cut the bread pieces smaller, to cover the base evenly.
Spread half the raisins on top of this layer of bread.
Place another layer of buttered bread on top. Alternatively, you can make sandwiches of bread with butter and 1 heaped tablespoon of marmalade or a jam of choice (my father made jams and marmalade at home, so my mum always had some of this available). Then line the bowl with these sandwiches.
Sprinkle remainder of raisins on top of this layer of bread.
Pour the milk/egg mix/ liquid over the bread. Cover with cling film or a tight fitting lid.
Allow it to rest for 1 hour or longer. It can be made up to this point in advance and kept in the fridge for 24 hours or longer.
When you are ready to cook, heat the oven to 200 C (180 C in fan oven) or 350 F.
Bake uncovered in the centre of a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. The top should be crispy, but inside should be just set, not firm. You can put the pudding in the oven when you start serving the main course. This way, it will be ready in time to be served piping hot. Don't forget to set the alarm, it burns easily.
Rest for 10-15 minutes before serving
