Serves: 6–8 Prep time: 20 minutes (+ overnight macerating if desired) Cook time: 40–50 minutes
Ingredients
- 625 ml basic custard (see your custard recipe or use a good-quality ready-made)
- 20–24 slices of stale white bread, cut in half diagonally
- 250 g salted butter, softened
- 100 g sultanas
- 100 ml brandy (or orange juice for a non-alcoholic version)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 60 g demerara sugar
- Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Method
Step 1: Macerate the sultanas Pour the brandy and lemon zest over the sultanas. Cover and leave to soak overnight (or at least 30 minutes if short on time).
Step 2: Prepare the dish Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan 150°C / gas mark 3). Grease a large ovenproof baking dish with a little of the butter.
Step 3: Assemble the pudding Butter the slices of bread on both sides with the remaining softened butter. Arrange the buttered bread slices in overlapping layers in the prepared dish, scattering the soaked sultanas (and any remaining liquid) between the layers.
Step 4: Add custard and bake Pour the custard evenly over the bread layers, pressing the bread down gently so it absorbs the custard. Sprinkle the top generously with demerara sugar and freshly grated nutmeg. Bake for 40–50 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp, and the custard is just set but still slightly wobbly in the centre.
To serve: Allow to cool for 5–10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with extra custard, cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Enjoy this hearty, nostalgic British classic!
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