Recipe: Could this be the best bread and pudding you've ever tasted?

"Bread and butter pudding in any shape or form is a winner for me. It’s such a super-easy dessert, using up simple ingredients and always giving a delicious result - crusty on the outside soft and creamy in the centre," write Mercy Fenton in her weekly column.

"This version might well become my favourite. Delicious creamy coffee is given an extra punch with the addition of a little brandy and the crunch and extra depth of flavour provided by some toasted pecan nuts. This mix can be baked and served in individual moulds, or bake it in a big dish or a baking tin."

Coffee and brandy pud

Espresso Brandy Brioche Bread Pudding

Ingredients (8-9 portions)

2tsp vanilla essence

30gr ground strong coffee

1 tsp ground cinnamon

60gr butter

240ml milk

60ml brandy

226ml cream

3 Free-range eggs

100gr brown sugar

100gr granulated sugar

240gr stale brioche cut in quarters

65gr toasted pecan nuts roughly chopped (keep a tblsp or two aside for the top)

3 whole free range eggs

A few shavings of freshly grated nutmeg

Method:

• Put the milk, cream, cinnamon, vanilla, coffee and butter together in a pot and bring to the boil, allow to infuse.
• Leave to sit for an hour if possible, then return to almost boiling.
• Meanwhile, butter an eight or 10 inch Pyrex dish, or individual moulds.
• Now you have two choices, you can
• (A) Cut the brioche into triangles and layer up in the dish, scattering a few chopped pecans between the layers. Or
• (B) Just mix out quarters of brioche and pacans in a bowl, pour the egg custard over and allow to soak before filling the moulds (my preferred method)
• Keep back a few pecans to scatter on top.
• Break the eggs into a bowl, then whisk in the sugar.
• Next, strain the coffee flavoured milk mixture onto the eggs, mix well and pass through a sieve onto the bread.
• With a spatula, push the bread down into the custard mix. For the best result before cooking allow the pudding to sit in the fridge for two or three hours or to soak up all the custard. You can even prepare it to this stage the night before you need it, and then just press the bread down again before cooking the next day.
• To cook, place the Pyrex dish into a roasting tin or another larger dish, place in the oven than pour boiling water into the larger dish until it comes two-thirds of the way up the pudding dish, this is called cooking in a Bain Marie It will stop the egg mixture curdling and give you a beautiful moist smooth pudding.
• When the pudding is golden brown and firm to the touch, insert a skewer and check it comes out smoothly. Roughly 25 to 35 minutes depending on the size of your mould.
• Serve hot or cold with cream or ice cream, and maybe a drizzle of caramel sauce.