I can't remember a time EVER at my Nan's where there wasn't a slab of bread pudding knocking around.
I loved it as a child and went off it for a bit over the years, so I'm going to revive it today, reason being my husband and daughter have not eaten the healthy wholemeal loaf that I encouraged them to use instead of the unhealthy white rubbish they favour. I'ts going stale in the bread bin so thought I would use it up as my Nan would of done.
My Paternal Grandmother wasn't the greatest cook in the world, but she always made the effort to cook and always made a roast on a Sunday even if it was just for herself, she really enjoyed herself in the kitchen. Her roast potatoes were to die for!
There are a few things she made that I really loved, and stick in my memory. Her bread pudding. Apple pie with a lovely short pastry. Egg curry. Chicken soup/stew with butterbeans, and a mean hotpot, which was always a lovely warmer when coming in from the cold from the time spent outdoors in North Wales, which was bitterly cold in the winter. She nearly always had the chicken soup/stew on the go on her cooker top. She swore it had medicinal properties! I'm sure we have some Jewish blood going through our veins?!
A downside to Nan's meals were the dog hairs. We all were too kind and picked them out and still ate it. I can remember always being on a diet as a teenager, and every time I visited her, asking her to make me something healthy, so she would proceed to cook me chicken breast cooked in concentrated butter with sliced new potatoes cooked in tons more butter. I would eat it to please her, but hint that maybe next time she could use a knob of butter rather than half the packet!
Anyway back to the bread pudding. Nan never liked to waste food as I do not, and she never weighed ingredients, but I watched and helped her make this loads of times , but will list approx measurements as a guide should you fancy making it.
How to make it:
600g bread
500 g dried mixed fruit
3 tbsp ground mixed spice
pinch salt
140 g sugar
100 g melted butter
3 medium eggs
800 ml milk
Pre heat oven to Fan 160
Grease and line a square Pyrex dish or roasting tin.
Break all the bread up and pour all the milk over it and squish it ll together with your hands, then add all the other ingredients.
Keep mushing it all together with your hands then turn into the dish.
Flatten out then bake for 1 1/2 hours. Watch it doesn't burn , cover with foil for the last 30 minutes if you need to.
Let it cool a little then turn out onto a wire rack, when completely cooled peel off the greaseproof paper and slice into squares. Keeps well in a tin or the fridge.
I have just realised this is my 100th post today, kind of nice that it is about my Nan. Hope you approve Nan. xx
I loved it as a child and went off it for a bit over the years, so I'm going to revive it today, reason being my husband and daughter have not eaten the healthy wholemeal loaf that I encouraged them to use instead of the unhealthy white rubbish they favour. I'ts going stale in the bread bin so thought I would use it up as my Nan would of done.
My Paternal Grandmother wasn't the greatest cook in the world, but she always made the effort to cook and always made a roast on a Sunday even if it was just for herself, she really enjoyed herself in the kitchen. Her roast potatoes were to die for!
There are a few things she made that I really loved, and stick in my memory. Her bread pudding. Apple pie with a lovely short pastry. Egg curry. Chicken soup/stew with butterbeans, and a mean hotpot, which was always a lovely warmer when coming in from the cold from the time spent outdoors in North Wales, which was bitterly cold in the winter. She nearly always had the chicken soup/stew on the go on her cooker top. She swore it had medicinal properties! I'm sure we have some Jewish blood going through our veins?!
A downside to Nan's meals were the dog hairs. We all were too kind and picked them out and still ate it. I can remember always being on a diet as a teenager, and every time I visited her, asking her to make me something healthy, so she would proceed to cook me chicken breast cooked in concentrated butter with sliced new potatoes cooked in tons more butter. I would eat it to please her, but hint that maybe next time she could use a knob of butter rather than half the packet!
Anyway back to the bread pudding. Nan never liked to waste food as I do not, and she never weighed ingredients, but I watched and helped her make this loads of times , but will list approx measurements as a guide should you fancy making it.
How to make it:
600g bread
500 g dried mixed fruit
3 tbsp ground mixed spice
pinch salt
140 g sugar
100 g melted butter
3 medium eggs
800 ml milk
Pre heat oven to Fan 160
Grease and line a square Pyrex dish or roasting tin.
Break all the bread up and pour all the milk over it and squish it ll together with your hands, then add all the other ingredients.
Keep mushing it all together with your hands then turn into the dish.
Flatten out then bake for 1 1/2 hours. Watch it doesn't burn , cover with foil for the last 30 minutes if you need to.
Let it cool a little then turn out onto a wire rack, when completely cooled peel off the greaseproof paper and slice into squares. Keeps well in a tin or the fridge.
I have just realised this is my 100th post today, kind of nice that it is about my Nan. Hope you approve Nan. xx
