Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas 4.

2. Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod with the tip of a knife. Add these to the pan along with the scraped pod. Bring almost to the boil, then remove from the heat.

3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together thoroughly in a large bowl, Then pour in the milk and cream mixture (remove the vanilla pod first), and whisk a bit more.

4. Melt the butter gently, then brush it over the brioche slices, placing them in a buttered pudding dish as you go, and sprinkling with the sultanas.

5. Strain the milk and egg mixture over the top.

6. Place the dish in a roasting pan. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 30 minutes, or until just set and not over-browned. Remove from the oven.

7. Put the jam in a saucepan with the teaspoon of water and melt over gentle heat.

8. Brush generously over the eggy surface of the pudding before serving.