Coconut Bread and Butter Pudding
An old-time family favourite and true comfort food for a cold winter’s evening. Soft bread spread with butter and apricot jam is soaked in a sweet vanilla custard, topped with coconut and fluffy meringue, then baked until golden. Use any bread you enjoy; slices of Madeira cake make an especially indulgent variation.
Equipment
- 1 ovenproof dish buttered
Ingredients
- 6–8 slices white bread
- Butter for spreading and greasing
- Apricot jam to taste
- 4 large eggs separated
- 125 ml sugar
- 15 ml vanilla essence
- 1 litre full-cream milk
- 125 ml desiccated coconut or to taste
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Cooking spray or shortening optional, for greasing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Thoroughly grease a suitable ovenproof dish with softened butter, shortening or cooking spray.
- Spread the bread with butter and apricot jam.
- Arrange the slices snugly in the prepared dish, halving one slice if needed to fill any gaps.
- Dot the bread with a little extra butter and sprinkle with the coconut.
- Separate the eggs. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, vanilla essence and milk until well combined and slightly frothy.
- Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread and leave it briefly to soak in.
- Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Spread them gently over the pudding and sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Bake for about 35 minutes, until the custard is set and the meringue topping is lightly golden. Serve warm.
Notes
White bread works perfectly, but you can use any bread you prefer. For an extra-indulgent variation, replace the bread with slices of Madeira cake.