Bread & butter pudding

Method

For the anglaise, in a bowl whisk together all the ingredients and set aside. Line a 24 cm round springform cake tin with two layers of plastic wrap. If you lightly grease the tin first, the plastic wrap will stick better, avoiding air gaps – and, yes, the plastic wrap will be fine in the oven. Spread the apricot jam evenly over all the croissant halves. Soaking each croissant in the anglaise as you go, make one even layer of the croissants on the bottom of the cake tin, then add a layer of raisins and pistachios. Repeat this process until all the ingredients are used. Ideally you should have at least three layers of croissant – the more the better – and if the layers are above the rim of the cake tin, do not be concerned. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Place the cake tin into a deep baking tin and fill the deep tin with warm water to come about halfway up the cake tin (this is known as a bain marie). Be careful not to allow the water to spill onto the cake. Cover the top of the pudding with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for another 20 minutes – 1 hour cooking time in total. Remove the tin from the oven and allow the pudding to cool and set. The pudding is delicious served warm with a generous dollop of clotted cream, extra anglaise or ice cream.