Press all the cloves into the whole peeled onion and place in a saucepan. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns and milk. Bring to the boil then remove from the heat. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Pass the liquid through a sieve into a saucepan or remove the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns. Stir the breadcrumbs into the milk and place over a low heat for 5-10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs have absorbed all the liquid and the sauce is the desired consistency (see tips section for if you are making the bread sauce ahead of time). Stir occasionally.