Savoury bread and butter pudding

For an inexpensive and easy meal a savoury B&B pudding is a good option.  As it is one of my daughter's favourites you might guess that it contains cheese!!  For one or two people I would suggest halving the amounts shown - except for the eggs - just use two.

• 300mls whole or semi-skimmed milk 
• approx 75g butter (you can use spread but butter really is preferable if you can afford it)
• 8 slices of slightly stale white bread, cut into triangles.  If it isn't already stale leave it out for a few hours.
• 3 eggs
• 1 onion
• cream cheese
• grated strong cheese 

1. Put the milk into a pan and heat to just below boiling point then allow to cool
2. Peel and chop the onion very small
3. Butter the bread and the dish
4. Spread the bread with the cream cheese
5. Arrange half of the slices of bread in overlapping rows in the dish and sprinkle half the onion over the top
6. Beat the eggs until well mixed, then beat the milk (and cream) into the mixture
7. Pour half the mixture over the bread and leave to soak in for around 20 minutes
8. Preheat the oven to 180ºC  gas mark 5
9. Arrange the other half of the bread and onion over the top and drizzle over the remainder of the egg custard mixture. 
10. Place the dish in a roasting tin and half fill the tin with water to create a bain marie then place in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown.
11. When ready remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.