If you have to feed a lot of people, this is a quick and simple pudding . Make it in several dishes if you don't have one big enough.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease a 5 litre/9 pint ovenproof dish with butter.
Thickly spread bread slices with butter and cut into triangles. Arrange half the bread, butter side up, in the bottom of the dish. Mix the fruit and sultanas together and sprinkle all the dried fruit and half the sugar over the layer of bread.
Top with the remaining bread and butter pieces and sprinkle with the rest of the sugar.
Beat the eggs and milk together and pour the mixture over the bread.
Leave to stand for 15 minutes to allow the bread to absorb some of the liquid.
Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, until the custard has set and the top is crisp and golden.
