Comfort Food: Fluffy Bread & Butter Pudding

Nothing says "comfort" louder than a bowl full of cinnamon-vanilla custardy bread pudding. Childhood faves are great for re-invigorating sagging spirits, especially when you find a way to make them less stodgey and more light-n-fluffy.

I used to whip myself up a batch of this pudd when I was solitary single and needing a boost. Flatmates would come running from all directions - instant social connection on lonely nights as well being a yummy treat to scoff.
Recently I fancied a bit of comfort food (on my lonesome), so I whipped out my old recipe, reminded myself of the secret to success (soaking) and dished it up for my offspring.

Here's my version of Bread-and-Butter pudding...

INGREDIENTS:
4-5 thick slices of good white bread (e.g. a cobb loaf, past its best)
1/4 cup of sugar
3 eggs
2 cups of lite blue milk
a splash of vanilla essence
a generous sprinkling of ground cinnamon

METHOD:

• Lay the slices of bread overlapping in the bottom of a rectangular oven dish
• Beat together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon to make an eggy mixture
• Pour the eggy mixture evenly over the bread
• Leave to soak for 14-30 minutes (essential for the Fluffiness Factor)
• Bake at 180oC for 15-30 minutes (depending on your oven) or until golden and set

(If you do it right it won't be stodgey at all, but will be fluffy and custardy)

[I might have left it in a teensy bit long - distracted by House Rules - still delish tho]

Serve warm with vanilla icecream or whipped cream.

Mmmmm, so comforting, so delicious.
Enjoy.

(P.S. No idea why it's called bread AND BUTTER pudding - there's no butter in it. This recipe is adapted from the ole Kiwi classic "Edmonds Cookery Book". What's your favourite comfort food?)

♥