Dry the bread. Put the oven on 350°F (175°C). Place the cubes on a baking tray and bake them for

10 minutes. Bread that is slightly dried absorbs the custard properly and maintains its shape rather

than becoming mushy.

Mix the custard. Take a large bowl and whisk the eggs until they are smooth. Then add the milk,

cream, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and whisk again until the sugar has dissolved.

Mix in the melted butter.

Put the dish together. First grease a 2-quart baking dish, then place half of the bread into it,

followed by half of the banana slices and the nuts. Next add the rest of the bread and pour the custard

over all of it. Gently press down so that each cube is covered.

Let it soak. Put the dish aside for 20 minutes. It is precisely this step that ensures the centre

remains moist rather than dry.

Bake. Place the remaining banana slices on top and distribute any leftover nuts over them. Bake

without covering for 40 to 45 minutes, until the surface has turned golden and a knife inserted into the

centre comes out mostly clean. If the top browns too quickly, then cover it loosely with foil.

Make the sauce. Put the butter into a small saucepan and melt it over medium heat. Then add the

brown sugar and the salt and cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Gradually pour in the cream, whisking

as you do so, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until it has thickened a little. Take the saucepan off the

heat and add the vanilla.

Serve. Allow the pudding to cool for 10 minutes until it has set, and then use a spoon to fill the bowls

with it, pouring the warm sauce over each serving.

Go for bananas that have a spotted skin; the darker the peel, the sweeter and more fragrant the fruit

will be.

Toast the cubes; this takes 10 minutes and makes a real difference to the texture.

Don't hurry with the soak since it takes twenty minutes for the custard to get to the centre of the

bread.

Leave some space in the dish since the pudding expands — stop filling about half an inch below the

rim.

Keep an eye on the centre; a bit of wobbling is acceptable since the pudding becomes firmer as it

cools. Baking it for too long results in a dense custard.

Easy Variations

Chocolate banana: add a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Pecan maple: use toasted pecans and replace the caramel with warm maple syrup.

Boozy: mix two tablespoons of rum or bourbon into the custard.

Different bread: if you don't have banana bread, use brioche or challah and mash an extra banana

into the custard.

Lighter: if you want a less rich result, use whole milk instead of the cream.

Keep the leftover food covered and store it in the refrigerator for a maximum of four days. For reheating

individual portions, heat them in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, or warm the entire dish at 325°F

(165°C) for 15 minutes by covering it with foil. The sauce should be kept in a different container and

warmed up before it is served. To freeze it, allow the baked pudding to cool completely, wrap it well and

then freeze it for up to two months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

A scoop of vanilla ice cream, together with a spoonful of whipped cream or a small amount of flaky sea

salt on the sauce, is effective. It pairs well with coffee or spiced tea when having brunc