Benjamina Ebuehi's recipe for a festive bread and butter pudding | The perfect place

Bread and butter pudding: so simple, so comforting. For the most part, I like a traditional, but during the holiday season, I'm more than happy to break a few rules. The cranberries provide a welcome splash of color and delicious acidity that runs through everything rich. And December is probably the only time of year I happily eat marzipan, so I tucked a few nuggets into the custard for pops of almond chew.

Cranberry Butter Bread Pudding and marzipan

Preparation 20 minCooking 45 minFor 8 people

For the cranberry sauce200g fresh or frozen cranberries65g caster sugarThe juice ½ an orange

For the pudding500ml milk200ml crème fraîche3 large eggs2 egg yolks¼ tsp almond extract70g caster sugarZest of 1 orange10 thick slices of brioche75g coarsely chopped marzipanA small handful of slivered almondsIcing sugar for dusting /gas 4.

Place the cranberries, sugar and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the cranberries become soft and syrupy. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, eggs, yolks, almond extract, sugar and zest.

< p class="dcr-1b64dqh">Cut the slices of brioche in half diagonally, to make triangles, and arrange them tightly in a baking dish. Scatter the marzipan pieces over it, interlocking some between the slices. Pour the milk mixture over the bread and let it sit for 15 minutes.

Just before baking, scatter the slivered almonds over the top and pour about half the cranberry sauce all over the pudding. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the pastry cream is set with a slight wobble in the middle. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before dusting with a little icing sugar. Serve hot with custard and the rest of the syrupy cranberry sauce.