* 8 oz/225 g stale (day old) bread, broken up into smallish pieces
* 1/2 pt/300ml cold water
* 3 oz/75g soft brown sugar
* 1 egg (beaten)
* 2 oz/50g currants
* 2 oz/50g raisins
* 1/4 pt/150ml milk
* 1/4 tsp mixed spice
Put the bread in a bowl and add the cold water.
Allow to soak for 1 hr.
Drain the bread and squeeze out any excess water (using your hands!)
Mix the bread with the rest of the ingredients.
Pour into a greased 8" square baking tin
Cook at 180C/gas 4 for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours until firm to the touch and brown on top.
Allow to cool for 30 mins or so in the tin, before cutting into squares.
Serve warm or cold.
Variation: use any combination of dried fruit eg: cranberries, cherries, apricots etc.
i've found that i only need 1oz of sugar and i use a bit more mixed spice, plus i add in a bit of candid peel, and fresh bread works just as well. and i cook it in a casserole dish because i don't have a cake tin
warning - this is highly addictive!
