Microwave Dates - Nuts Bread Pudding

This is a simple and easy bread pudding that I saw on one of the cook shows I used to watch earlier. The pudding takes altogether about 10 minutes from start to finish in a microwave and is a yummy way to use up any leftover bread one might have. I usually like to prepare this in small bowls for individual servings and so have given measurements for that as well.

Ingredients:
1/2 liter boiled and cooled milk
1/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp. custard powder
6 whole wheat bread slices
1/2 cup chopped dates
10 gm. each - raisins, cashews & almonds

Method:
* Add sugar to milk and stir until it dissolves. Then add the custard powder to the milk and whisk/ blend until there are no lumps. Keep it aside.
* Chop off the edges of bread slices. Cut each bread slice diagonally into 2 triangles.
* Arrange the 3 cut bread slices in a microwave safe pan in a single layer next to each other and sprinkle dates on top. Next sprinkle raisins, cashews and almonds uniformly. Place the remaining 3 triangular slices of bread over them and sprinkle dates and the other nuts as in the previous step.
* Pour the custard powder - milk mixture over the bread slices and let it sit for 2 minutes to soak up the milk.
* Microwave for 5 minutes and serve immediately. Garnish with honey if desired.

Ingredients for 2 individual servings:
2 & 1/2 whole wheat bread slices
3/4 cup boiled and cooled milk
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. custard powder
1/2 cup nuts and dry fruits (I used chopped dates, walnuts, cashews, dried cranberries and raisins.)

Method:
* Trim off the edges of the bread slices and tear them into small pieces.
* Take one cup sized microwave bowl and arrange the bread pieces in a single layer. Try to fit as many pieces as you can at the bottom of the bowl so that there are no gaps and no overlapping.
* Sprinkle about 2 tbsp. of dates and other nuts used, uniformly over the bread slices.
* Repeat the bread and nut layers one more time.
* Add sugar to milk and stir to dissolve. Next add custard powder and whisk until lump free. Pour half of the milk mixture over the bread and nut layers and let it sit for 2 minutes.
* Take another one cup sized microwave safe bowl and repeat the above steps with the remaining ingredients.
* Microwave each bowl for 5 minutes and serve immediately.

This is my entry to
1. Blogging marathon #58
 
2. Srivalli's Kids' Delight event, hosted by Kalyani this month under the theme 'Cooking with Whole Grains'.

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