Raisin and Cognac pudding from the Charente

The Charentaise answer to bread and butter pudding… with a difference 

Ingredients: (for 6 to 8 people)

¾ baguette (a little stale is best, so one left from the day before or earlier in the day is fine)
½ lt milk
3 eggs
6 or 7 tablespoons caster sugar (depends on taste)
100g dried raisins
3 cl cognac
2 tablespoons melted butter plus appox 100g

What to do:

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/ gas mark 4

Bring the milk to a bowl on a gentle heat with the sugar, then add the cognac and remove from the heat.

Crack the eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat well. Once the milk has cooled a little, add a little at a time to the eggs and beat well.

Butter an ovenproof dish with tall sides and place slices of the bread round the sides and then layer alternately from the bottom with the raisins.

Gently pour over the milk mixture ensuring it reaches to the bottom of the dish and soaks through all the slices of bread. Push down the bread with a fork to assist it to soak up the liquid. Place several knobs of butter on the top and place in a pre-heated oven (180°C, 350°F, gas mark 4) for 40 minutes.

This pudding can be eaten warm or cold and is delicious with cream or custard as an accompaniment.

Reproduced with thanks to Mme Susie Bouet and “Le Cognac Gastronome” by Andrée MARIK
Photo: CC by qwazymonkey/flickr