This recipe is quite simply luscious. And yes, it has cream in the custard and probably a zillion calories, but it really is totally worth it. If you do not want to go to the trouble of making the Julekake, then you could make the pudding with bought brioche instead.

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Serves 6-8

12 medium thick slices of Julekake or Brioche

2oz (50 g) soft unsalted butter

8 egg yolks

6 oz (175 g) caster sugar

1 vanilla pod

½ pint (300 ml) milk

½ pint (300ml) double cream

1 oz (25 g) raisins

1 oz (25 g) sultanas

METHOD

1. Grease a 3 pint oven proof dish with butter
2. Butter the Julekake, cut off the crusts and cut into triangle style pieces.
3. Whisk the eggs yolks and sugar in a bowl
4. Warm the milk, cream and vanilla in a pan and take to a simmer.
5. Remove the vanilla from the milk and cream and pour the mixture into the sugar, mixing all the time.
6. Layer the Julekake into the baking dish, scattering the fruit in-between the layers. Make the final layer just Julekake.
7. Pour the custard over the Julekake and leave for 20 minutes
8. Meanwhile, pre heat the oven to 180 C, 350 F, Gas Mark 4.
9. Place the dish into a roasting pan which is ¾ full of warm water and cover the pudding lightly with buttered foil.
10. Cook for 20-30 minutes.
11. You do not want the custard to be too firm, the joy of this dish is that the custard should ooze out when you spoon it from the dish.
12. When ready, remove carefully from the water bath (it helps here if your pudding dish has handles). Sprinkle generously with caster sugar and return to the top of the oven or grill to brown.