Allowing the bread to soak in the custard batter for a full hour is the secret to a good bread-and-butter pudding.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　4 large eggs

　　3/4 cup milk

　　3/4 cup heavy cream

　　7 tablespoons sugar

　　2 tablespoons dark rum

　　8 slices white bread

　　4 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft

　　1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half

　　

Step 1

Whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, 3 tablespoons sugar, and rum. Set aside.

　　

Step 2

Spread the top of each slice of bread with a generous amount of butter. Cut the slices in half diagonally. In a 9-inch round baking dish or cake pan, fan overlapping slices in 1 layer. It is also fine for the bread to overlap randomly. Pour the egg mixture over the bread, and let stand 1 hour.

　　

Step 3

Heat the oven to 400°F. Sprinkle the pudding with 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until puffed golden brown and set, about 20 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Meanwhile, combine the strawberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Let stand while the pudding bakes. Serve the strawberries with the baked pudding.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.