Citrus Bread Pudding With Malta Fruit Compote

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/ 350 degrees F.

Put the raisins/ sultanas in a saucepan and pour the Cointreau / orange juice or the preferred liquor and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep aside.

In another heavy bottom pan boil milk and condensed milk mixture. Add cinnamon stick and orange zest to it. Let it simmer on low heat for 10 minutes so the flavors get incorporated.

Turn off the heat, cover and set aside. Place a bigger tin than the one you are using to bake pudding inside the oven to warm.

Grease a 12×9 inch baking dish. Mine was a little smaller but you should have one slightly bigger so that there is enough space for the pudding to rise.

I do not trim the edges of the bread but you can. Toast the bread slices lightly. This is my way as I find toasting gives a great flavor to the pudding. You can use them plain too.

Butter each bread slice and cut them into triangles.

In a large bowl beat the eggs. Add the infused milk and a 2-3 tablespoons of the fresh malta juice into it and beat again till everything is combined properly. Remove the cinnamon stick. You can use powder too (1/4 teaspoon).

Layer the bread triangles, buttered side up, in the prepared baking dish. They should be slightly overlapping. Sprinkle the raisins and sultanas between the layers and pour the liquid and remaining raisins on top.

Sprinkle some more fresh orange zest on top.

Place the baking dish inside the warm bigger baking tin. Pour hot water carefully halfway till the smaller tin. Be very careful not to scald yourself or let water get into the pudding.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the pudding is wobbly from inside and browned from top.. A tooth pick should come out mostly clean when inserted in the center.

Scoop out and serve it warm with the malta/ orange compote on top. You can also use dollop of crème fraîche if that suits your mood.