Gingerbread and Butter Pudding

This is an idea which has been lingering in the back of my mind for a long time - ever since The Day We Discovered Gingerbread Ice Cream (with capitals, for this was a glorious day).

Back in our student days, Lana and I discovered a limted edition Tip Top gingerbread ice cream (note: gingerbread, not gingernut ice cream. A subtle but important difference) at New World. Unbelievably good, let me tell you.

Alas, this revelation was to be our first and last - we never again saw this amazing ice cream. I have even resorted to bombarding Tip Top's customer service section on their website with requests to bring it back, but to no avail.

This dessert goes some way to recreating that flavour combination; spicy, sweet gingerbread, and with a creamy vanilla base. What this dessert brings that our Holy Grail could not, is the combination of hot, fudgy, crispy-edged cakiness, with the cool, silky vanilla ice cream I served it with.

Give this one a go this winter - it will definitely fill that nostalgic rift which grows stronger as the weather cools.

Gingerbread and Butter Pudding (this recipe serves 8 people, so feel free to halve it if you like, or just enjoy the leftovers the next day!)

1 loaf of gingerbread, or ginger loaf - I used this recipe, but substituted the molasses for 1/2c brown sugar and 1/2c honey
30g butter, softened to spreading consistency
2 eggs
400ml milk
1/2c brown sugar
1T cinnamon
1t ground ginger

Preheat the oven to 180 C.

Slice the loaf into 1cm thick slices. Butter each side of each slice of bread. Layer in a dish big enough for all the pieces of bread - I used a big, deep pie dish.

Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar and spices together. Drizzle over the gingerbread, and let it soak up for 15 minutes or so.

Pop into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until deep golden and crispy on the edges. Pull out of the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving with ice cream, custard, or cream.