BREAD AND FRUITS PUDDING

Ingredients:

3 cups milk
½ cup sugar
4 tbs custard powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
6 slices of bread
2 tbs butter
1 cup chopped fruits, e.g apples or strawberries
½ cup raisins
½ cup chopped cashew nuts or almonds
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tbs butter for the cake tin
2 tbs Demerara sugar

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Brush an 8 inch pan with the 1 tbs butter.
Sprinkle with 1 tbs of Demerara sugar all over it.

In a small bowl, put the custard powder and mix with ¼ cup of milk.
Heat the remaining milk with the sugar on medium heat.
When the milk starts to boil, lower the flame and slowly mix
In the custard mixture, and cook until thick and smooth for about 2 minutes.
Keep aside.

Lightly toast the bread on both sides. Butter the bread and cut into 1 inch cubes.
Place these bread cubes in a large bowl.
Add in the cut fruits and the chopped nuts.
Pour in the prepared custard and toss to coat.

Pour the bread custard mixture in to the baking dish.
Sprinkle with the remaining demerara sugar.
Keep for about 10 minutes for the bread to be soaked.
Now bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Bake until the top is little crisp and toasted.

Remove and let the pudding rest for about 15 minutes.
Serve it alone or with a dollop of ice cream.