Recipe for Bread Pudding

This is the first time I tried this Bread Pudding recipe from my Periplus cookbook. When I first got Periplus cookbook, I was in South Africa. I was staying in this Backpackers Bungalow (in Johannesburg, a lot of Bungalows with private swimming pools are converted to Backpackers hostels, very clean and with well-equipped kitchen, sun-deck near the pool and very private), I went out for dinner at the nearby shopping supermarket. It was just walking distance, less than 5 minutes walk. I was fascinated with the display of foodstuffs and all other things in the supermarkets, then I saw a very brilliant way of promoting an item. Right beside a shelf which display, say cake baking stuff, they will have a vertical shelf displaying items that are used for baking, such as spatula, whisking spoon etc. So, when customers pick up the baking ingredients, they pick up the utensils as well.

At this corner where they display lots of cooking materials, they too display the cookbooks. That was where I referred to one cookbook while looking at the displayed ingredients. There I had a better knowledge on how the ingredients are used in cooking while I browse through the cookbook. And so happened the one cookbook I took was from Periplus (in South Africa the same cookbook is published by Woolworth, I kept using the name Periplus because I found out later when I came back to KL, the cookbook is sold in KL under the Periplus label).

I changed some ingredients and name as I put the recipe together, and it turned out superb. I must pat my own back for having baked a scrumptious Bread Pudding. Here goes the recipe :

Dried Fruits Bread Pudding
(serves 4)

5 slices of white bread
30g butter
¾ cup mixed dried fruits (more if desired)
4 eggs
2 ½ cups milk
1/3 cup caster sugar ( ½ cup if you desire less sweet)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (can try with nutmeg too)

1. Preheat oven to 160º C
2. Remove crusts from bread. Spread slices with butter. Cut slices diagonally in half. Place half the bread, buttered side up, in a 1.5 liter ovenproof dish. Top with mixed dried fruits, and remaining bread, buttered side up.
3. Whisk eggs, milk and sugar in a large bowl until combined. Place dish in a shallow baking dish. Pour in enough hot water to come half way up the sides. Bake 1 hour or until set and light golden. Remove dish from water immediately. Serve warm.