Bread & Butter Pudding

This recipe dates from John Nott first published in 1723.

Ingredients.
20 slices of bread. Stale bread is good.
50g each of currants, raisins and chopped dates. (or cheat like I did and use fruit loaf)
1 litre of single cream.
130g sugar
Butter (or margarine)
1 tbs Brown sugar
6 egg yolks
Mace & Nutmeg & Salt

Method.
In a heavy based saucepan (I used a normal one) simmer the cream for 4 mins. Make sure it does not boil. Whisk in a pinch of salt and 1/4 teaspoon each of mace and nutmeg. After this simmer the mix for another 4 mins, then take it off the heat and allow to cool. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks and sugar together. When the cream mix is cool slowly add it to the mix. Make sure the cream mix is cool otherwise you will scramble the eggs.

Butter the bread on both sides and using a wooden spoon (or your clean fingers) push 1/3 of the bread down into an oven proof dish. Poor 1/3 of the egg and cream mix over the bread. Repeat until all the mix is in the bowl. Then sprinkle brown sugar over the top and add a nob or two of butter. Pop the baking dish in the oven for an hour.

Technically speaking you should take it out the oven, wait for another 30 minutes and then be able to turn this over and pop it out like a cake. If your family is anything like mine, as soon as it comes out of the oven they will be standing with bowls and spoons at the ready. Be careful as the bread and butter pudding will be hot. Enjoy!