English Bread Pudding with Walnuts and Crumble Toppings

It's unavoidable to have leftover bread slices when breakfast is most of the time bread.  and buns.  Over the week, I have accumulated about 4 cups of bread and it's high time I 'get rid' of them.  Fastest way I believe is making Bread Pudding or breadcrumbs.

 

Bread pudding is an old fashioned dessert [but I'm having it for breakfast] that had its humble beginnings in the 13th century England.  It was first known as a 'poor man's pudding' as it was made from stale leftover bread that was simply moistened in water to which a little sugar, spices and other ingredients were added.
Here 's the simple recipe with 2 parts to prepare, the bread cubes and custard to moisten the bread.  I baked this quantity in 2 x 6" square baking tins [cos' I'm giving 1/2 portion to my neighbour].  You can use a 7" or 8" square tin, the difference is only in the thickness of the pudding.

 

Ingredients

[serves 4]

4 cups of bread cubes [diced bread slices]

1/2 cup raisins [you can use any other dried fruits]
2 eggs

350 ml milk [can use 1/2 cream and 1/2 milk for richer flavour] 

40 gm sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cinnamon powder [optional]

30 gm toasted walnuts - chopped
crumble toppings [optional]

1. Greased baking pans with butter and sprinkle a little flour on the base and sides.
2. Place the diced bread and raisins in the baking pans, evenly spreading them. Set aside.
3. Whisk sugar and eggs until creamy and light [this step is for a light and fluffy textured bread pudding].   Then add in vanilla essence and cinnamon powder.  Whisk for a second to mix well.  Add in the milk and melted butter.  Stir to combine well all the ingredients.
4. Gently pour egg and milk custard mixture all over bread.  Press down a little with a spatula to cover bread with custard.
5. Sprinkle the toasted walnuts and crumble toppings on top.  Leave for about 1/2 - 1 hour to allow bread to soak up the custard.
6. Steam-bake in preheated oven at 150 degrees C for 1 hour.  Remove and serve warm.

Crumble Toppings

20 gm castor sugar

25 gm butter

45 gm plain flour

• Use your finger tips to mix the ingredients until it resembles bread crumbs
• Keep in a container and store it in the refrigerator for later use.

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers#24 - Jellies and Puddings [October 2012] hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House 
and also to Bake Your Own Bread hosted by girlichef