Banana Bread and Butter Pudding

This is an attempted recreation of a dessert we had at a bar in Provincetown on Cape Cod. I'm still experimenting with whether the bananas should go on the top or the bottom, but this is how I've tried it so far and it was pretty damn good:

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 loaf white bread, slices cut 1/2 inch thick, crusts trimmed
2 bananas
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Combine vanilla, milk and whipping cream in a saucepan. Bring milk mixture to simmer. Whisk eggs and sugar in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into yolk mixture. Set custard aside.

Butter both sides of bread slices. Grease and line a springform tin. Sprinkle brown sugar over the bottom, then cover the bottom with one banana, sliced thinly. Arrange 1/3 of bread slices in single layer over the banana, trimming to fit. Spread half the slices of the other banana over the bread. Cover with another single layer of bread. Scatter more banana slices. Layer with remaining bread. Pour custard over bread. Let stand until some custard is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 180oC (350°F). Bake pudding until custard thickens and begins to set, about 20 minutes.

Let pudding cool slightly. Turn out to serve. Serve warm.

Serves 8.

Just to really make it great, serve with vanilla icecream and this butterscotch sauce:

Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 80g butter and 300ml cream in a saucepan. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then allow to simmer gently until thickened slightly. Ohhh yeah!