Chris Brown's bread muffins with ricotta centres

(Makes about 6 medium-sized muffins)

Ingredients

 6 cups of day-old good quality bread, cut into small cubes or shredded
 3/4 cup milk and 1/2 cup half and half cream (or any kind of cream)
 2 large eggs, beaten (Reserve 1 tbsp. for filling)
 1/3 cup sugar or to taste
 Dash of cinnamon and/or vanilla extract
 1 1⁄2 cups fruit (such as apples, dice or shredded)
 1⁄4 cup raisins, cranberries or chopped nuts (if using raisins or dried cranberries,
plump in warm water until soft and drain)

Filling Ingredients

 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup creamy ricotta (not the hard variety)

 1 tbsp sugar or to taste
 Reserved 1 tbsp beaten egg
 1 tbsp half and half cream
 Apricot jam diluted with a teaspoon of water and heated until it turns to liquid for
glaze (Optional)

Directions

For the muffins: Combine milk, cream, eggs, sugar and cinnamon/vanilla and pour
over bread cubes.

Add fruit, raisins or nuts and mix thoroughly.If the bread is very dry, let it soak for an
hour or so, constantly mixing the ingredients until the bread cubes feel moist and slightly
squishy.

If it's still too dry, let it sit longer or covered in the fridge overnight, or add extra cream or
milk if all the liquid is absorbed.

For the ricotta filling: Combine ricotta, reserved egg, cream and sugar, and set aside.

Assembling the muffins:

 Preheat oven to 375 F.

  Use either muffin papers or approximately six 5 1⁄2 x 5 1⁄2 squares
of parchment mouldedinto a muffin pan. Spray with cooking oil or butter.
 Take a small handful of the bread mixture and place in bottom of muffin container
creating a small depression, add about a tablespoon of ricotta mixture and then
add another smaller handful of the bread mixture cupped over the top and press
lightly but firmly to keep the shape. Repeat. The shape will be rough and not
perfectly smooth which is what is desired and if a bit delicate that is fine as they
will bake up well.
 Bake in a 375 F oven for about 10 minutes and reduce to 350 F for another 10 to
15 minutes until the muffin is firm when prodded or lightly browned on top.
 Remove and cool slightly. Brush with heated apricot jam and allow to cool on a
rack out of the pans but still in the papers.

(Note: By removing the fruit, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla and replacing with grated
cheese and ham, bacon or olives with some chopped herbs or green onion, this will
make a very nice savoury muffin. Omit the glaze and sprinkle cheese on top too.)