Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Pansy Proof Pudding: Bread Pudding


Designed to please a variety of audiences, this simple, warm delight will make use of the odds and ends in your pantry contents. It’s a cuisine enjoyed all over the world from Britain to Puerto Rico, and many Creole and Southern adaptations exist. But do not be fooled, this dessert is not the gelatinous, wiggly pudding that the typical American cafeteria would have you think.
Bread pudding is a category all its own; the best description being: baked, sweet-soaked bread with an assortment of other dried fruits, nuts and liqueurs or extracts. With the bread pudding I’ve made, you can still pull apart some of the chunks of bread, though as it cooks it should mold together. It makes use of a lot of flavors, and will last you a while. Be sure to add the sugary bourbon sauce, as it kicks the flavor up at least a few notches. So share with your friends, and tell them this pudding the kind that you pack in your kid’s lunch boxes.
My recipe was adapted from the New Orleans School of Cooking; a quintessential recipe to my family, especially with Caribbean or Creole dishes. I used what was left over from a birthday present [the best kind, food!], the greater part of a dense loaf of Cranberry Orange Bread, but a loaf of French or Italian Bread would work just as well, just add more sugar in that case [about 1-2 c]. Add any kind of fruit you want, raisins are commonly added. I didn’t add them because there were cranberries in the bread already. Dried apricots or cherries could also be a delicious addition. Also, check with the liquids. If too much liquid is added, it won’t become a solid mold. But without enough, you will end up eating croutons. Some interesting liquids to substitute for milk: cream, Pina Colada mix [my favorite!], other flavored liqueurs or extracts.
Bread Pudding
Ingredients:
6-8 c stale bread, about a loaf
¾ c sugar
¼ c milk ** may need to add more as it cooks
8 T butter, melted
3 eggs
2 T vanilla
¾ c coconut, sweetened and shredded
½ c almonds, chopped
½ can pineapple, chunks or rings in bite size pieces
1 T ground cinnamon
½ T ground nutmeg
Instructions:
1. In large bowl, mix all ingredients together. WATCH THE LIQUID. You may need more or less. It should be very moist, but not soupy.
2. Put mixture into a greased 9” x 12” baking dish.
3. Place into NON-PREHEATED OVEN.
4. Turn oven to 350 and bake for about 1 hour – make sure that the top is golden brown and all is molded.
5. Serve warm with sauce.
Makes enough for about 10 people. NOMS: 9

Bourbon Sauce
Ingredients:
½ stick butter
¾ c powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
About ¼ c bourbon
Instructions:
1. Cream butter with sugar in small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Remove from heat. Mix in egg yolk.
3. Pour in bourbon while stirring continuously until reached desired taste.
4. Sauce will thicken as it cools. But serve it warm over the bread pudding.

3 comments:

  1. MMMmmmmmmmm I can smell the goodness.

    Rachel - are you going to give us a heads up as we plan for the big V Day (Valentine's)? What are YOU going to do? Can we have some helpful hints ahead of time?

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  2. Yes, you could actually smell the pudding outside of my dorm.

    Valentines Day: Skip the hassle of trying to get reservations at a fancy restaurant and cook up something delicious for your significant other. If you want to go ahead and live large for the big dinner my suggestions would be some kind of steak or seafood [a nice swordfish, salmon, or tuna steak or scallops]. These are impressive foods that can be dressed up elegantly or casually, depending on the mood you are going for. Paired with potatoes and perhaps asparagus, this meal would be hearty --haha and yummy.

    But the most important part on this evening of love is the dessert. If nothing else, treat your sweetheart to a cheesecake or Red Velvet Cake, a batch of chocolate cupcakes or chocolate chip cookies. Anything made from scratch is made from the heart, so go all out for this one.

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  3. Oh, you are so right. Red Velvet cake - I forgot about that one. Sounds perfect. So chocolate for my sweet (and me) and steak especially for my hunky honey. (:^>)

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