Baileys and Banana Bread and Butter Pudding
1/2 a loaf of pre-sliced white bread (crusts removed )
55g/2oz or pack of butter, softened
140g/5oz caster sugar
seeds from 1 vanilla pod
8 free-range eggs
500ml/18fl oz double cream
565ml/1 pint milk
4 shots of baileys
5 bananas
4 tablespoons flaked almonds, toasted until golden
icing sugar to dust
1. Preheat the oven to 180c/gas 4.
2. Flatten each slice of bread down as flat as possible. Butter each piece thinly but thoroughly with the softened butter, then cut the slices of bread in half and put to one side.
3. In a bowl whisk together the sugar, vanilla seeds and eggs till pale and fluffy, then add the cream, milk and the baileys; whisk until smooth. Slice up peeled bananas and lightly toast your almonds in the preheated oven. Take an appropriately sized baking dish and rub the sides with a little butter. Dip each piece of bread in the egg mixture then begin to layer the bread, the sliced banana and the almonds in the baking dish. Repeat until everything has been used up, ending with a top layer of bread. Pour over the rest of your egg mixture, using your fingers to pat down the bread to make sure it soaks up all the lovely flavours.
4. Generously dust the top of the pudding with icing sugar and bake in the oven for approx 35 minutes or until the custard has set around the outside but is just slightly wobbly in the centre. Allow it to cool and firm up slightly.