Good old fashioned bread pudding

I am beginning to feel a little better.  I have had a loaf of bread in the fridge ready to make a bread pudding from before we got the flu and it is freezing cold out today so it seemed like a good time to make it.

I have fond memories of my Mum making it when we were little kids and I suspect her Mum used to make it too.

I haven't made one in many many years and I had a loaf of bread that needed using up. Documented the process in pictures. No particular recipe as all measurements are based on taste. First break up the bread into small pieces into a large bowl. Soak the bread in boiling water straight from the kettle. Beat it with a fork until it is all mixed into a pulp. 

Add sugar until it tastes sweet enough for your taste. Add mixed spice the same way. I use English mixed spice as it is a little different to the North American "Allspice' and I prefer it. The more observant will notice that this went out of date in 2008 but it was a sealed sachet. 

Add whatever dried fruit you want to use. I used raisins and about 12oz as I like dried fruit. 

Grease an oven dish and spoon mixture into it and rough the top a little with a fork as this will help make the top nice and crispy. Put in oven at 300F and let it cook for a couple of hours. Don't overcook as the dried fruit will get burnt on the top.

It is in the oven right now and smells delicious!

Posted this on FB too so cut and pasted the words, don't know why they are coming out with white round them!  Arrgghh!!!!