Method

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C gas 4. Lightly butter a medium baking dish. Spread the remaining butter generously over one side of the bread slices. Cut each slice into quarters.⠀

Step 2

Arrange half the bread quarters, buttered sides up, over the base of the buttered dish. Scatter with half the sultanas and lemon/orange zest. Repeat another layer of the same.

Heat the milk and cream together in a small saucepan. Heat until steaming hot. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the lo han blend (or lo han guo), until pale and thick. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture onto the eggs. Whisk constantly. Strain through a sieve into a jug. Then stir in the vanilla extract.⠀

Step 4

Slowly pour the custard over the bread pudding. Make sure you soak all the bread.. Scatter the surface with the remaining lo han blend and grate over a little nutmeg. Bake for 35-40 minutes in the centre of the oven. Bake until golden brown.

Step 5

Let the pudding rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. we like to serve with a dollop of clotted cream.

Ingredients

– 60g butter, softened⠀
– 10 slices thinly sliced white bread, preferably a day old ⠀
– 60g sultanas⠀
– ½ lemon & orange, zest⠀
– 350ml whole milk⠀
– 100ml double cream⠀
– 3 eggs⠀
– 60g lo han blend (or 1/4 tsp lo han guo)⠀
– 1 tsp vanilla extract⠀
– grated fresh nutmeg⠀