Panettone bread-and-butter pudding

Serves 6

(LISA BARBER)

I love both panettone and pandoro and would happily eat either every morning for breakfast. The distinction between the two is that panettone is laced with candied peel, while pandoro is simply without. Use either, as suits your taste. The panettone is, I think, best since its warm smell of oranges, vanilla and icing sugar makes for a delicious bread pudding.

6-8 slices of panettone, two-inch thick, crusts removed
Soft, unsalted butter for spreading
220ml/71/2fl oz double cream
300ml/10fl oz whole milk
125g/4oz caster sugar
5 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
The zest of one orange
1 tbsp caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4. Butter each slice of bread on one side and arrange in an ovenproof dish large enough to sit the bread comfortably

Place the cream and milk into a pan and bring to just under a simmer. Remove from the heat.

Place the sugar, yolks, whole eggs and vanilla extract into the bowl and whisk well to combine. Stir in the orange peel and slowly pour the warm custard over the buttered bread.

Leave to stand for half an hour. This is important, as it allows the custard to soak properly into the bread.

Place the oven dish into a roasting tin and pour enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Sprinkle over the sugar and bake on the middle shelf for 40 minutes or until a sharp knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let stand for five to 10 minutes before serving. Pass a jug of pouring cream around the table for those who want it.