Bread and butter pudding is a popular dessert that is so easy to make. You only need some stale bread, raisins, and a freshly made custard.

While oven-baked bread and butter pudding is pretty good, do give this recipe for slow-cooker pudding a try. Crusty edges and deliciously moist bread? Yes, please!

Slow cookers retain moisture, making them excellent for dishes like soups, porridge and curries. As such, recipes that require moisture – like this one – are perfect for a slow cooker.

Bread and butter pudding is usually served with cream or extra custard on the side to make up for the dryness from baking in the oven. However, this version is so incredibly moist, there’s no need for any of that!

Ingredients

• 8 slices white bread
• 75g raisins

For the batter

• 40g grated gula Melaka
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• 55g butter, melted
• 180ml whipping cream
• 360ml milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 eggs

Method

• Layer the bread and raisins inside your slow cooker pot, tearing the bread if necessary to fill in any gaps. It doesn’t have to look perfect.

• Add all the batter ingredients in a separate bowl. Whisk until the mixture is smooth, with no lumps.
• Now pour the batter into the slow cooker, making sure to cover as much of the bread as possible.
• Using a long spoon, gently push the bread into the batter to make sure all the slices soak up the liquid. Do not press too hard, as you do not want to flatten the bread.
• Select the “bake” setting on your slow cooker with the timer set for 50 minutes. If your slow cooker doesn’t have this option, cook on a low setting for about 3 hours.
• The pudding is ready when there is no liquid pooling on the top. You can also check it by sliding a knife into the middle of the pudding. It should come out clean, not wet and sticky.

Removing your pudding

• Extract the pot from the body of the slow cooker. Take a large flat surface, like a cutting or cake board, and place it over the mouth of the pot, making sure the board covers the entire opening.
• Protect your hands with oven mitts. With both hands, grab the pot and the board together, and gently turn it over to let the pudding drop onto the board.
• Remove the board and your pudding will be ready.

Tips

• Bread and butter pudding usually uses stale bread, but you can also use fresh bread.
• Enjoy it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator. The pudding can be served hot or cold.

This article first appeared in butterkicap.com, a food and culture platform and community that enables anyone to experience Malaysia through stories of her people, food and places.