Date bread and butter Pudding

Bread and butter puddings are an old style of  cooking that now can be revamped in many ways, The dates in this dish gives this pudding  an extra zing

8 slices white bread

30 gm butter

200 gm pitted dates, chopped

4 eggs

¼ cup caster sugar

3 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Grease an ovenproof dish,remove the crusts from bread. Butter the bread, cut into thirds. Place the bread, buttered side up, in prepared dish, sprinkle with dates and layer . Whisk eggs, sugar, milk and essence in bowl. Pour mixture over bread.

Place dish in baking dish, pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up side of dish, bake, uncovered, at 180°C for about 1¼ hours or until custard is set.