Food: Panettone & brandy butter pudding

SERVES 6

500g panettone see method

about 50g brandy butter softened

3 medium eggs

125g golden caster sugar

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

400ml double cream

425ml whole milk

2 tbsp Cointreau or Grand Marnier

★ Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Select a shallow ovenproof dish at least 1.5 litre capacity. Have ready 10-12 x 2cm slices of panettone (cut as wedges from a 500g loaf). Spread the panettone with the brandy butter and arrange over the base of the dish. Whisk the eggs, sugar and nutmeg together in a large bowl, then whisk in the cream, milk and Cointreau. Pour the custard through a sieve over and around the panettone.

★ Place the gratin dish in a roasting pan with cold water that comes two thirds of the way up the sides. Bake for 1 hour until the custard is puffy and set and the panettone is golden. Serve straight away.

FINISHING GLAZE If wished, warm and sieve 90g apricot jam and brush it over the hot pudding just before serving.

VARIATION You can also make two smaller puds. Divide the ingredients between 2 x 850ml dishes (we lined ours with loaf tin liners). Reduce the cooking time to 45 minutes.