Maltese Bread Pudding ( Using Up Stale Bread) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 loaf bread (a few days old)
50 g butter
125 g sugar
2 -3 eggs
1 apple, peeled and grated
5 tablespoons cocoa powder
200 g sultanas
200 g raisins
2 tablespoons candied peel
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon Scotch whisky (*optional)
1/2 teaspoon anise or 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon extra sugar

Preparation

Soak the bread , in water foe about an hour until soft. ( cut loaf in half).
Pre heat oven to 200C and grease a rectangular baking dish measuring about 30cmx 20cm.
grab the loaf with your hand and squeeze out excess water. You can put the bread in a clean tea towel and squeeze.
Put the soggy bread in a processor with the other ingredients except the dried fruit and mix well.
Add the dried fruit and pulse until combined.
spread in the baking dish and flaten surface with a spatula.
Sprinkle the extra sugar and anise seeds on top.
Bake for about an hour, until it feels firm .
serve warm or at room temperature ( or in summer, cold from the from fridge, or at least thats the way I like it :-).