Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

1. Ciabatta Bread - 1/2 loaf ( If you couldn't find this bread, you can buy any white bread which is dry, not soft and one which has hard outer layer or edges.)
2. Milk - 3 cups
3. Eggs - 4
4. Sugar - 1 cup (medium sweetness) or 1.5 cups (extra sweetness)
5. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
6. Raisins - to sprinkle on top

Method:

1. Cut the bread into bite size pieces. Place them on a tray and leave them to dry for a day.
2. Mix eggs and sugar in a bowl till the yolks are broken and mixed well.
3. Add milk and vanilla essence to the above mixture and beat it with a egg beater. This is called the custard mixture.
4. Now add the bread pieces to the above custard mixture. Let them soak in that for 1 to 3 hours in the refrigerator. The more it soaks the better.
5. Grease a baking pan with some butter. Pour the soaked bread mixture. There should be atleast quarter of the pan height left for the pudding to rise. You can also grate little butter on top for extra richness.
6. Bake for 1 hour to 1.5 hours in the oven at 350 F. The size I baked (shown below) took 1 hour. If you bake in a rectangle tray, which is double the quantity as this, then it takes 1.5 hours.
7. During the last 20 minutes of baking sprinkle the raisins on top.
8. Insert a toothpick in the center of the pan. If it comes out clean, then the pudding is ready. Also the sides of the pudding should start leaving the pan.
9. Remove from the oven, allow it to cool for 1 hour atleast and then serve.

                                                                     Ciabatta Bread
                                                                   
I learnt this recipe from one of my relatives. It's a really tasty pudding. I have made this several times and everyone liked it. What happens is, the liquid mixture is absorbed by the bread and custard is formed inside the bread. Doesn't involve too much physical effort too. Just mix, soak and bake. That's it. Do try this recipe and let me know the result :)