Apple & Bread Pudding

This is a Jewish pudding from Claudia Roden's admirable Book of Jewish Food (Viking, £20). It is along the same lines as bread and butter pudding, and quite delicious. Peel and chop about 4 apples, dropping the slices into water into which you have squeezed some lemon juiuce to stop them going brown. Slice three thickish slices of sourdough or other good white bread. Cut off the crusts and cut into neat cubes. Beat two organic eggs into 1/2 pint (300ml) milk, with 21/2oz (75g) sugar (or to taste), the zest of a lemon grated, a splash of rum if you like, a grating of fresh nutmeg or a good pinch of ground cinnamon. Mix the apples with the bread and a handful of raisins or any other dried fruit you have by you. Spread over the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Pour over the custard, sprinkle with a bit more caster sugar, and bake at Gas 4/180C for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden.