Little bread and butter puddings, scented with vanilla and sweetened with maple syrup.
Set the oven at 180C/gas mark 4. To make the custard, break 2 large eggs into a jug and mix well with a fork. Stir in 70ml of maple syrup and 1 tsp of vanilla extract.
Pour 325ml of double cream into a small saucepan and bring to the boil, then lower the heat. Pour the cream into the eggs and beat with a fork or small whisk until well mixed.
Tear 175g of brioche into pieces and drop them into the custard, alternating with a few golden raisins or sultanas (I use 3 tbsp in total) and pushing them down gently under the surface as you go. Leave to soak for about 10 minutes.
Put 6 large muffin cases into a 6-hole patty tin, then divide the brioche and custard between them. Sprinkle the surface of each one with a little demerara sugar. Bake for 15 minutes until puffed and golden. Makes 6 (I like to serve 2 each)
The neat idea of sweetening the custard with maple syrup came from cookery writer Donna Hay. It gives the little pudding a mellow flavour.
Use dried cranberries or cherries in place of the golden raisins if you prefer.
I use brioche, because of the buttery quality it lends to the puddings, but you can use panettone, too, or of course white bread, in which case, you might want to butter it lightly first.
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