Leftover raisin bread will make a delicious pudding, not unlike the traditional bread and butter pudding but with some flavourful additions.

For the best results use quality spiced raisin bread that is dense and fruity.

The raisin bread, soaked in egg that has been flavoured with orange zest, vanilla extract and brandy, is then topped with a whisper of cinnamon and spiced poached apple slices.

It may seem like a lot of spices but the flavours balance out with the orange and brandy .

This recipe is so easy to prepare and the result is a really delicious pudding that can be eaten hot with ice cream or custard and fresh fruit but it is also very nice when rested and eaten cold.

Raisin bread is often thought of as something to toast but this pudding proves that it can make a wonderful desert too.

Spiced Raisin Bread and Apple Pudding

Ingredients:

• 4-6 slices of a good quality Raisin bread cut in half lengthwise or diagonally to best fit your baking dish
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 1 Tblsp Brandy
• 1 3/4 cups full cream milk
• pinch of salt
• 1 apple, sliced thinly
• Ground cinnamon
• 3 whole cloves
• Vanillin Sugar
• butter to grease baking dish

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 C fan forced

2. Butter a baking dish that will accommodate 4-6 slices overlapped (mine is 28 x 20 cm)

3. Cut the slices of bread in half lengthwise or on the diagonal, whichever helps to fully cover the base of the baking dish you have

4. Place the pieces of raisin bread overlapping till the baking dish is filled

5. In a large bowl add the sugar and the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each egg is added, until the mix is pale and sugar dissolved

6. Add the milk, brandy, orange zest, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to egg mix and whisk through

7. Pour the flavoured egg mix over the slices of raisin bread and gently push down the slices into the egg with a fork till they have been covered in the egg mix. Cover the baking dish with cling wrap and set it aside for 20 minutes

8. While the raisin bread is soaking, make some syrup. Heat 1 1/4 cups of water with 1/4 cup of caster sugar and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and 3 whole cloves. Bring to the boil

9. Core the apple, peel and slice it.

10. Place apple slices into the syrup, spooning it over. Bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes

11. When cooked, remove the apple with a slotted spoon, draining off the liquid

12. The Raisin bread should now be soaked through with egg mixture. Sprinkle the surface with ground cinnamon

13. Place the slices of stewed apple over the spiced raisin bread

14. Place the baking dish into the pre-heated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the pudding is browned and set. If the top is browning too quickly, cover with some aluminium foil

15. When the raisin and apple pudding is nicely browned and set, remove from the oven and sprinkle the surface with Vanillin Sugar. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving

16. Serve warm with ice cream, fresh fruit or custard

17. Spiced raisin and apple pudding is also delicious cold.