Bread Pudding
I didn’t grow up with bread pudding, actually first time I had it I hated it. I have something against soggy bread. Don’t ever feed by a sloppy joe. But over the years I have tasted different bread pudding desserts and now I actually really like it.
It all started with dinner party at friends houses, and especially a friend that is a great cook. Now with kids and dogs we all help out in the kitchen. I was helping out with the dessert and she was going to serve bread pudding. I knew I wasn’t going to like it but I was her sous chef for the moment. She gave me instructions and I just did what she told me to do. The way I was preparing this pudding just seemed delicious. I was tasting the bourbon sauce and oh my that I could just drink by itself.
Everything else this friend cooks is delicious so I had to taste this bread pudding that I just created following her directions. It was fantastic. I no longer thought of bread pudding as soggy bread but just delicious, sweet pudding.
Since then we have had several dinner parties and we always help, advice and share recipes. Somehow always tastes better when you are a group of good friends cooking a dinner and everyone helping out.
Since then I have mad several bread pudding over the years including this pumpkin bread pudding. But there is something about this very classic Bread Pudding with bourbon that is just delicious.
It is also very easy to prepared, you really just need some stale bread laying around.
Bread Pudding
Yield: 8-10 Servings
Total Time: 60 minutes
Ingredients:
Bourbon Sauce:
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup Kentucky bourbon whiskey
Bread Pudding:
1 loaf French bread, at least a day old, cut into 1-inch squares (about 6-7 cups)
1 qt whole milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup raisins (soaked overnight in 1/4 cup bourbon)
¼ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cardamon
3 tbsp butter, melted
Directions:
First prepare the bourbon sauce. In a saucepan, melt butter; add sugar and egg, whisking to blend well. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. (Do not allow to simmer, or it may curdle.) Whisk in bourbon to taste. Remove from heat. Whisk before serving. The sauce should be soft, creamy, and smooth.
Secondly the Bread Pudding:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Soak the bread in milk in a large mixing bowl. Press with hands until well mixed and all the milk is absorbed. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, and spices together. Gently stir into the bread mixture. Gently stir the raisins into the mixture.
Pour butter into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan. Coat the bottom and the sides of the pan well with the butter. Pour in the bread mix and bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes, until set. The pudding is done when the edges start getting a bit brown and pull away from the edge of the pan. Can also make in individual ramekins.
Serve with bourbon whiskey sauce on top . Best fresh and eaten the day it is made.
Adapted from: Simply Recipes
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