Pies, Puddings and Pottages

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.

Grease the baking dish with butter.

Place the cream in the saucepan with the mace and cinnamon stick and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat immediately and leave to steep for half an hour.

Remove the mace and cinnamon from the cream.

Place the egg yolks and sugar in the large mixing bowl and beat with the electric hand whisk until thick and pale in colour.

Continue whisking while you add the flavoured cream. Set aside.

Place half the slices of bread at the bottom of the pie dish and scatter with half of the date halves.

Pour the custard mixture over just to cover the bread.

Add another layer of bread slices along with the remaining dates and cover with the remaining custard mixture.

Leave for half an hour for the custard to soak into the bread.

Scatter over the demerara sugar, place in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the custard has set and the top is golden.

Serve immediately with ice-cold cream or ice-cream.