Ingredients:

500g bread (white or brown)

200g sultanas

200g raisins

100g currants

1½ tbsp mixed spice

600ml milk

2 large eggs, beaten

140g light muscovado sugar

zest 1 lemon (opt.)

100g butter, melted

2 tbsp demerera sugar

Method:

• Tear the bread into a large mixing bowl and add the fruit and spice.
• Pour in the milk, then scrunch through your fingers to mix everything well and completely break up the bread.
• Add eggs, muscovado and lemon zest if using.
• Stir well, then set aside for 15 mins to soak.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Butter and line base of a 20cm non-stick square cake tin.
• Stir the melted butter into the pudding mixture, tip into the tin, then scatter with demerara.
• Bake for 1½ hrs until firm and golden, covering with foil if it starts to brown too much.
• Turn out of the tin and strip off the paper.  Cut into squares and serve warm.