A humble dessert befitting the Convent. This recipe is particularly handy as I like baking bread but homemade bread doesn’t last as long as commercial types, given it has no preservatives. I make breadcrumbs and freeze them but dishes that use the bread also are very handy. A Bread and Butter Pudding is hard to pass up and so easy to make. A great comfort food in hot or cold weather.

I partly use this blog as an easy reference point for me for my more frequent recipes but hope others enjoy them as well. I prefer recipes where I am likely to have the ingredients on hand (and that they are readily available – this isn’t inner-City Sydney for shopping).

• half a dozen slices of day-old bread
• butter
• 3 eggs
• 500 ml milk
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• extra sugar
• vanilla extract or essence
• nutmeg

• Preheat oven to 160 degree C
• Butter baking dish
• Butter bread, cut into triangles and place in dish
• Mix eggs in mixer and gradually add milk, then sugar and vanilla extract
• Pour over bread in baking dish
• Grate nutmeg over the top and, if you prefer, sprinkle with more sugar (brown or demerara is extra good).
• Bake for 60 – 90 minutes until cooked (test custard is set by inserting knife and it comes out clean)
• Allow to sit for 10 minutes (or you can serve cold).
• Optional extras
• You can add sultanas or dried fruit such as chopped dried apricots
• You can also spread your choice of jam on the bread along with the butter