British Bread and Butter Pudding

Found for the World Tour 2005 - yet *another* version of Bread & Butter Pudding!! "Very fattening but lovely, and warming too on a cold winter night." He he. I have not made this *yet* so I guesstimated at some of the proportions (butter, brown sugar & fruit) - please adjust to taste.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 8  slices  bread, crusts removed
• 1⁄4 cup butter, for spreading
• 3  tablespoons brown sugar, divided (or to taste)
• 2  cups milk, full fat is nicest
• 1 -2  cup  dried fruit or 1 -2  cup  other fresh soft  fruit
• 1  pinch ginger
• 1  pinch cinnamon
• 1  pinch nutmeg

Directions

1. Butter the slices all over, both sides and line the dish.
2. Sprinkle over the dried fruit or other fruits (fig and banana -- ).
3. Sprinkle approximately 2TB brown sugar over that and add a cover of more buttered bread, covering all the fruit.
4. Pierce the bread a few times and then slowly pour over the milk, letting it all soak into the bread before adding more. When the bread is really sopping with milk sprinkle about 1TB more brown sugar over the top and then a little cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
5. Bake in a low oven, approx 140C, 275F, for a couple of hours until it rises up and the sugar caramelizes on top.
6. Serve hot with ice cream or cold with custard.