Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is a versatile comfort food that can be served warm or cold for breakfast, dessert, or as a midnight snack. For endless variety, substitute different breads, such as Corn Bread, Banana Bread, Gingerbread, or fruitcake, for half of the bread in this recipe. Serve bread pudding with Crème Anglaise, whipped cream, or ice cream.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 12
- 12 cups stale bread cubes
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
- ½ cup chopped dried fruit (apricots, cherries, etc.)
- 5 egg yolks
- 7 whole eggs
- 2½ cups milk
- 3½ cups heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 tablespoons butter, melted (plus more for dish)
- 1½ cups Crème Anglaise
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9″ × 13″ baking dish.
Put the bread cubes in the buttered dish. Sprinkle the pecans and dried fruit over the bread cubes and toss them together lightly with your hands. Set aside.
In a bowl, mix together the egg yolks, eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour this custard mixture evenly over the bread cubes. Press down the bread cubes to submerge them in the custard and soak it up.
Drizzle the melted butter over the top of the bread-cube/custard mixture.
Bake for about 1 hour, or until the custard is set. Push down in the middle with your finger. The cream will be set and won't ooze if it is done. Serve with 2 tablespoons of crème anglaise per serving.
Hard Sauce
Hard sauce is traditionally served with steamed puddings, but it is delicious on warm bread pudding too. Simply whip these ingredients together: 4 ounces softened butter, 1½ cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 ounce orange juice, and 1 teaspoon orange zest.
