Olde English Bread Pudding

In recent years I have become a one-dish wonder (this is opposed to my previous career as a zero-dish wonder). Every time I have ever been asked to bring something to a dinner party, pot-luck event or whatever, I have produced a bread pudding.

Many years ago I came across this recipe for Olde English Bread Pudding, and being a big fan of bread pudding, I gave it a try. It was good, actually, even though I say it myself, it was great. So since that time, I have rarely diverged from that standard. With my limited cooking skills, why risk a change when you know something will work out and taste good.

Anyway, for posterity, here is the bread pudding recipe.

½ cup of Sugar
3 Large Eggs
2 cups of Whipping Cream
½ cup of Milk
2 tablespoons of Butter (at least)
½ Loaf of French Bread (day old preferably)
pinch of Salt
1 tablespoon of Vanilla
3 tablespoons of Currants (at least)
¼ cup Apricot Jam
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (at least)

1. Cut bread into squares and butter lightly (1/2 in to 1 in)
2. Arrange bread in layers in a buttered dish sprinkling with currants as you go
3. Whisk eggs and sugar together until blended
4. Bring Cream, Milk, Salt to boil and remove from heat
5. Gently but constantly whisk egg/sugar mix into cream/milk mix
6. Strain mixture over bread in bowl
7. Add remaining currants and butter to top
8. Bake in bain-marie for 40 mins at 350 or until golden brown.
9. Boil jam and sieve to remove the chunks and stir in Grand Marnier
10. Spread jam and Grand Marnier mix on top of the pudding.


Of course, as you will recognize from the ingredient list – it will taste good, it has to taste good with so much butter, cream, and sugar in it. While there are undoubtedly skills involved in cookery, your degree of success is enhanced if you liberally use these unhealthy ingredients.