Sweet delights

Last weeks Friday five must have been working away in my subconscious as I have been developing some super sweet winter wonders. Saturday night's gourmet bread-and-butter pudding and then the delicious apricot cake on Sunday. The first was made with what was available so no measures. The second was in my mother's recipe book and as I have scales that can be switched to imperial or metric I just stayed with the original. Both eaten too quickly to get a picture :)

Bread and Butter pudding
About 10 slices bread (I used wholegrain)
Margarine (or butter)
2 eggs
Sticky raisins (about 1/2 cup)
Crystallised ginger (about 1/4 cup)
1-2 cups milk
Vanilla pod
Cardamom seeds

Put milk in pot with cardamom seeds and vanilla bean and place on gentle (low) heat until it smells wonderful. Meanwhile spread bread with the margarine and cut each piece into thirds (remove crusts if you want to but not necessary). Place layer in bottom of ovenproof dish (mine is 16x23cm) with buttered side down. Sprinkle raisins and ginger over the slices, then add another layer of bread followed by raisins and ginger. Keep going until all bread is used up, finishing with a buttered side up layer of bread. Take milk off the heat and allow to cool. Beat eggs in bowl and strain the warm milk mixture in on top. Beat until combined. Pour milk and egg mixture over the bread layers. Leave in refrigerator as long as possible for all the liquid to soak into the bread. Can add more milk, very carefully, if necessary. Then bake in oven at about 180 Celsius for 30 mins or until cooked through.

Apricot cake
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup boiling water
6 oz butter
6 oz sugar
8 oz plain flour
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda

Pour boiling water over apricots and leave to stand. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time and beat well. Drain apricots and reserve liquid. Add apricots to creamed mixture. Add flour and baking powder and mix well. Dissolve baking soda in 1/3 cup of the apricot liquid. Blend thoroughly into batter. Pour into 8 inch tin. Bake in moderate oven 180 Celsius until cooked through (about 40-50 minutes). Orange icing was recommended for this cake. We used a cream cheese topping but it really was a bit too sweet. Mum was right (I should have known!)

We had a great weekend of feasting which has set us up for the week. A great walk on Sunday afternoon between showers. Weather is cool but our hearts and tummies are warm! Thanks be.