Welcome to my blog

I hope you enjoy reading my posts, and please leave me a comment. I always enjoy reading them, and will try to visit you in return.

For security reasons for me and for you, I would appreciate it if you would leave your name on your comments.

You are welcome to copy any of my designs, as long as you do not take credit for them yourself. I am very happy for you to sell them. If I have used anyone else's design, I always try to give credit where it is due. If I have missed anything, please let me know and I will put things right.


This is intended to be mainly about my crafting stories, as a personal record of what I do. However, I interpret crafting quite widely, not just paper crafting but other things too. I have a butterfly mind and like to change from one thing to another depending on what I feel like on a given day - knitting, crochet, cross-stitch, cards, baking and several others, including my favourite right now, parchment, both traditional skills and Groovi, very relaxing and calming to do.

I have decided to put some structure into my blog so that each day will have something of a theme.
Monday- for Mindfulness; Tuesday - Tidy Up Day; Wednesday - What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday; Thursday - Technique and Tips; Friday - Finish Off Day; Saturday - Start Something New; Sunday - Anything Goes
These themes are not hard and fast and will be changed if I feel the need.

Thursday 8 December 2011

Bread Pudding - or How to avoid throwing away cake and bread

I think this recipe came originally from my grandmother in Walsall, Staffordshire.  I certainly remember eating it there, although my recipe says I had it from my mother.  It is a great way of using up any stale bread or cake, or using a cake that did not turn out right.  Originally, it was just bread, but after a recipe went wrong for me (I still have not worked out what was at fault), I could not bear to throw all that cake away.  So after a couple of days cogitating, I decided it was worth trying to see if I could rescue it.  The result was so successful, that I have done it several times since.  It is slightly different each time, depending on how much cake or bread you add.

Ingredients:
½lb stale bread and cake
3 oz sugar
2oz butter, margarine, or dripping
4oz mixed dried fruit (the sort with candied peel in)
¼ pint milk (you may need a little more if your bread and cake is very dry)
1 egg
a little freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Method:
1.  Crumble the bread and cake into a large bowl, and pour the milk over it. 
2.  Mix and then leave it to soak for at least one hour.
3.  Then mix in the fruit, sugar, beaten egg and nutmeg.
4.  Melt the fat and mix it into the mixture.
5.  Pour mixture into a well greased pie dish and bake for 1 to 1½ hours at Gas Mark 4***, until a knitting needle poked into the middle comes out clean.
6.  Cut it into suitable sized portions and enjoy (hot or cold)

The texture should be fairly firm but not hard.  Instead of the nutmeg, you could add your own mixture of Christmas type spices, and replace some of the milk with an alcoholic liquid of your own choice. It will be different each time you make it, according to the mix of bread and cake.  I hope you enjoy it. 

*** Temperature conversion
Gas Mark 4 - Conventional oven 350° F/180°C - Fan oven 160°C
The time will vary a little according to your oven.

8 comments:

Emma Williams said...

Thank you for sharing all these gorgeous recipes that remind me so much, of my Mum and my late Nan's wonderful cooking ~ which of course, I adored.

Loved the card you shared in your last post, absolutely stunning!
Thank you for your lovely comment on my Clarity posts.
Love Emma xx

Linda Simpson said...

mmmmmmmmmmm how nice that looks! I have made a note of the recipe! Thank you for sharing Maggie :)

Hugs
Linda xxx

505whimsygirl said...

Yum. I love bread pudding! Sometimes there's a creamy custard-type sauce that is poured over the top. Pure heaven!

Lunch Lady Jan said...

I am definitely going to try this, Maggie! It sounds delicious :)
Hugs, LLJ xx

Mrs A. said...

would never have thought to use stale cake in a breasd pudding. This recipe sounds good. Must try it out. Haven't done the cheese scones yet as I really need to hands free. Hugs Mrs A.

Enfys said...

Hi Maggie, just popped over to wish you and yours a very merry Christmas, and a happy new year - the bread pudding made me hungry, so I have just raided the fridge - your fault!!
hugs
Enfys xx

Elizabeth said...

I think I may need this recipe in the week to come after my marathon baking session today so thanks, Maggie. I did have a similar recipe but lost it years ago so nice to have it again. Elizabeth x

Unknown said...

I used to love making this for my family and lost my recipe so thanks.
Carol