Spiced bread pudding with cranberry sauce (Spice of life)

             

     Nutmeg is a warm, aromatic spice and is particularly suited to old-fashioned puddings.

Serve 6-8
- 2 oz/ 50 gr butter, melted
- 3 cups/ 750 ml milk
- 3 eggs
- 3½ oz./ 90 gr sugar
- 1 teaspoon/ 5 ml vanilla
- 2 teaspoons/ 10 ml cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon/ 2.5 ml nutmeg
- 14 oz./ 400 gr cubed bread cut from a day-old french loaf
- 2 oz./ 50 gr chopped walnut
- 3 oz./ 75 gr sultanas raisins

For the cranberry sauce
- 12 oz./ 350 gr cranberries, fresh or frozen
- Finely grated peel and juice of 1 large orange
- 1 oz./ 25 gr sugar

Brush the butter generously into the bottom and sides of a medium-sized ovenproof dish.
Pour remaining butter into the milk.
Beat the eggs until light and frothy, then beat in the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Stir in the milk and mix well.

Arrange the bread cubes in the prepared dish, scattering the walnuts and sultanas over the top.

Pour the custard over the bread, coating each piece thoroughly.
Leave to stand 45 minutes.

Bake the pudding in the oven 350F for 45 minutes.

Cranberry sauce

Put the berries in a sauce pan with the orange peel and juice and sugar.

Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolve, then cook until the berries pop and the mixture thickens and becomes syrupy.

Serve the sauce hot or cold.

BON APPETIT