Marzipan bread & butter pudding

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4, and grease an ovenproof serving dish with butter.

2. Place the milk, cream, vanilla pod and seeds into a small saucepan and heat on a medium setting until steaming. While the mixture heats up, whisk together the eggs and sugar in a large jug until smooth.

3. Remove the vanilla pod from the milk and cream and pour the hot mixture into the eggs and sugar very slowly, whisking all the time. Whisk in the amaretto and set to one side.

4. Roll out the marzipan into a thin sheet approximately 44 x 30cm on a surface dusted with icing sugar or between 2 pieces of clingfilm. Butter both sides of each piece of bread and lay them out over the marzipan sheets, pressing them gently. Use a sharp knife to trim around each slice of bread so one side of each piece is covered by a layer of marzipan.

5. Arrange the pieces of bread into the dish, overlapping at the edges with the marzipan side facing down. Pour over the custard mixture making sure to cover all the exposed bread and leave to soak in for 10 minutes. Sprinkle over the caster sugar and flaked almonds, then bake the pudding for 25-30 minutes until the top looks golden brown and the custard has set. Serve immediately.