Bread Pudding - Serves 6

Another excellent way to use up stale bread. You can use brown or white bread. Lovely hot but excellent served cold. Excellent in packed lunches or for picnics.

Method

Pre-heat the oven to Gas 3, 170 Centigrade. Tear the bread into small pieces and soak in cold water for one hour. Strain the bread and squeeze out as much as possible. Place the bread into a bown and mash with a fork. Add the fruit, sugar, and mixed spice and mix together well. Add the egg and as much milk as necessary to make the mixture sticky but not too wet. It should drop easily from a spoon. Pour the mixture into a well greased baking tray, spread out and sprinkle the surface with more brown sugar. Bake in the oven for one hour. Check after one hour by pushing a table knife into the middle. The knife should come our clean. If necessary cook for a further 15 minutes. Serve hot with custard or allow to cool and enjoy cold.