Sorry I haven't been around for a couple of days. I have had the mother of all colds and it was so bad that I ended up in bed. It is on the wane now and I am feeling a lot more like my old self, although I still have a very tight chest and a niggling cough which is driving me to distraction. I have sore muscles in my sides from all of the coughing. Blah.
Old Tim Bread Pudding. One might be tempted to overlook this recipe as it doesn't look like anything special, but this is one of those great old fashioned recipes that is a gem in disguise.
It's one of my husband's favourites! He has always said his mother made the best bread puddings, but after I made him this one the other day, he's changed his mind and declared mine better than hers. I am well pleased.
Originally designed to make the use of stale or leftover bread, this pudding isn't to be confused with it's lighter airier cousin Bread and Butter Pudding. This is the ugly stepsister of said pudding, It is stodgy, somewhat heavy, and stogged full of dried fruits and spices.
You can see from the photograph that is is quite solid and cuts nicely into squares, which makes it perfect for eating out of hand if you wish.
In fact I often see it being sold by the square in local bake shop windows. When we were in Llangollen, Wales, one time it was beautifully showcased in one of their bakery windows. Of course we had to buy a square to bring home and enjoy with his evening tea.
My husband had described this to me many times through the years, but you know how men are. Their descriptions of thing only ever very rarely actually give you a true picture.
My friend Jo who worked at the Manor with me as the housekeeper used to make this all the time, but again, I never had actually seen it first hand, until I made it for myself. It can be a bit hard to describe to people who are not familiar with it.
It is lovely warm and cut into squares. My husband enjoys it warm with custard or cream poured on top. It is equally as lovely served cold along with a nice hot cuppa.
It is very reminiscent of a fruit cake in both texture, weight, and flavour actually. The difference being it's not a cake. Its a pudding and its a delicious pudding at that.
I am not sure how old the recipe is, but I suspect that it's been around a very long time. I suspect it came about from some cook's desire not to let anything go to waste, especially stale crusts of bread.
I do hope you'll give it a go and that when you do you enjoy it as much as we do. It's relatively low in fat as well I would say. Yes, there is some butter in it, but not a lot in actuality. It is economical, delicious, and real comforting family fare.
We love this warm, but we really love this cold and cut into squares or slabs. It always goes down a real treat and is a great way to use up leftover stale bread.
When you first read the recipe you think to yourself, how could that ever be tasty. But you are wrong. It is incredibly, edibly, wonderfully delicious.
Make Your Own Mixed Spice:
You can easily make your own mixed spice: Combine 1 TBS ground cinnamon, 1 tsp each of ground coriander and nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and all spice. Mix well and store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
Old Time Bread Pudding
Yield: Makes one 12 by 9 inch pan
Author: Marie Rayner
prep time: 15 Mcook time: 1 H & 20 Mtotal time: 1 H & 35 M
This is very different than bread and butter pudding. Don't confuse the two. This is a very traditional and stodgily delicious blend of dried fruit, spices, bread, eggs and milk. Perfect for a winters day tucked up in side in the warmth and best served with custard or cream. It's also very good served cold and simply cut into squares.
Ingredients:
- 400g of white bread, torn into pieces (about 7 cups)
- 600ml of milk (2 1/2 cups)
- 450g of dried fruit (3 cups)
- (Use a mixture of raisins, sultanas and currants
- 100g sugar (1/2 cup)
- 50g of self raising flour (1/4 cup plus 2 TBS)
- 1 1/2 TBS mixed spice (see my right hand side bar for a recipe to make your own)
- 2 large free range eggs, beaten
- 100g of butter, melted (7 TBS)
- demerara sugar to sprinkle on top (turbinado)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 150*C/300*F. Butter a rectangular pan about 12 by 9 inches well. Set aside.
- Put the bread into a large bowl. Pour the milk over top and allow it to stand for 10 minutes. At the end of that time, beat it all together with a wooden spoon. Stir in the dried fruit and sugar. Mix well together. Stir in the flour and mixed spice. Add the beaten eggs and the melted butter. Pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle demerara sugar on top evenly. Bake for one and a half hours.
- Raise the oven temperature to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4 and bake for a further 10 minutes or so until the pudding is golden. Excellent served warm with custard or cream, or eaten cold.
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This is one of the most popular recipes on the blog which goes to prove that people really love to try good old fashioned traditional foods and recipes. When something ain't broke why mess with it. This is perfect just as it is.
Make Your Own Mixed Spice:
You can easily make your own mixed spice: Combine 1 TBS ground cinnamon, 1 tsp each of ground coriander and nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and all spice. Mix well and store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
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