Nell Mcdonalds Bread Pudding - white bread

Method

• Preheat oven to 150C (300F).
• Tear bread into pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
• Pour over milk, give it a good stir, then allow the bread to soak while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
• To another large mixing bowl add mixed fruit, candied peel, grated apple, brown sugar, self-raising flour, marmalade, eggs, lemon juice and cinnamon.
• Stir to combine.
• When the bread is nice and soft and has soaked up the milk, add the contents of the fruit mixture to the bread mixture.
• Using a wooden spoon, beat until thoroughly mixed and bread pieces are no longer visible in the mixture.
• Stir HALF the melted butter into the mixture.
• Spoon mixture into a well greased, rectangular baking dish measuring approximately 18cm x 28cm (7" x 11") with 5cm (2") high sides.
• Smooth top, then, using the back of a fork, scrape the tines along the length of the pudding to 'rough up' the surface.
• Pour the other half of the melted butter evenly over the top of the pudding.
• Place pudding on the centre shelf of the preheated 150C (300F) oven.
• Bake for 1 1/2 hours at 150C (300F), then increase temperature to 180F (350F) or slightly less for a fan forced oven, and bake for another 15-30 minutes, checking after 15 minutes to ensure it's not burning around the edges.
• Remove when the pudding is nicely browned and a skewer, inserted into the middle, comes out clean.
• While the pudding is still hot, sprinkle evenly with sugar.
• Cool and cut into bars.
• Keeps well.