Sometimes in life we need a special treat. Sometimes in life we know someone who could use a special treat. I love offering something special up for someone – an act of kindness. I have a friend who could use some love, and what says love more than a warm bowl of delicious apricot bread and butter pudding (with real vanilla in the custard).

I’m a sucker for fruit bread and the other day when I was passing the bread section in the grocery store, I saw an apricot loaf that I just had to pick up and try and create something with.

I pulled some apricots out of the fridge that I’d been mashing up for Mr Moo for breakfast and added these to the ramekins, before making a simple custard to fill them up and bake them in the oven. Simple, just like how a good friendship should be.

APRICOT BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING

1 loaf of apricot bread*

4 apricots, halved

1 tablespoon of butter

500mls of cream

3 eggs

1/4 cup of caster sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste

Slice the apricot loaf thinly and then butter the bread and make into sandwiches. Layer the sandwiches into medium ramekins and then add in the apricot halves where there is a gap.

On a stove, bring the cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla to a simmer – constantly whisking, until it begins to thicken. Pour over the sandwiches and allow it to soak into the bread for 5 minutes before baking for 15 minutes at 180 degrees.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

*if you can’t find apricot bread, I’m sure this would work with brioche