Bread Pudding

Going to attempt this for the umpteenth time.  I never get it right.  Never enough liquid although it always seems like more than enough!  Each time, it is too dry for my tastes.  I like a lot of smooth softness.  I am going to pound it with eggs, half and half, whole milk and maybe this time some crushed pineapple?  Lots of butter and pecan bits too.
 
I will go on line and get some recipes and combine the best ingredients and make up one from the best of all.  In the past, I just did it without a recipe.  I  came up with a pretty good idea that turned out horrible.  I'd make the bread pudding mixture and put them in cup cake form.  Came out dried to sh-t.  Threw it all out.  Just terrible.
 
Maybe I should have put it in a water bath?  But, I mean..It was so moist going into those cup cake tins.....It took me years to finally get a great corn bread recipe.  I guess the same thing is going on here.  I will keep at it.

I have made bread pudding in many ways and in some cases, at places famous for their bread pudding. The best one was where we used leftover Danish pastries as the 'bread'. Apple, blueberry, apricot and cheese, cinnamon rolls, donuts and more, each and every bite was a different sensation.

The trick to making a real good bread pudding is to make so much of the custard base that the bread is literally floating on a cushion of the liquid. Four Danish in a 9 x 9 pan will be just about right.
I let it rest for a little bit and if too much has been absorbed, I add more liquid. Cover it with foil and cook at a low temp...maybe @275 degrees.
Of course you will be tempted to check it out as it cooks. That's fine, as you do want to finish it off and have a browned top. When I make my pudding, by this time the whole thing has risen like a souffle. Stick a skewer into it, and if no custard sticks, you should be done.
Of course, if it turns into a solid mass, you could slice it and make French toast.

mark

Try this one.

Croissant Bread Pudding
3 extra-large whole eggs
8 extra-large egg yolks
5 cups half-and-half
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 croissants, preferably stale, sliced horizontally
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350

In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla. Set the custard mixture aside. Slice the croissants in half horizontally. In a 10 by 15 by 2 1/2-inch oval baking dish, distribute the bottoms of the sliced croissants, then add the raisins, then the tops of the croissants (brown side up), being sure the raisins are between the layers of croissants or they will burn while baking. Pour the custard over the croissants and allow to soak for 10 minutes, pressing down gently.
Place the pan in a larger one filled with 1-inch of hot water. Cover the larger pan with aluminum foil, tenting the foil so it doesn't touch the pudding. Cut a few holes in the foil to allow steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 40 to 45 more minutes or until the pudding puffs up and the custard is set. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Master a simple recipe with not too much stuff in it, then go from there.  Some of the best bread puddings I've tasted has been in HOSPITALS.

Simple Bread Pudding with Lemon Sauce

4 cups bread cubes don't cut crusts (use a simple white loaf of bread, leave it out overnight on the table to stale up, next day cut in cubes. I like to do this for my stuffing too)
3 cups warmed milk
You can use half and half too, thats very good.
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup salted melted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg, cinnamon

Put breadcubes in bowl.
Pour warm milk over.
LEAVE IT, DON' T TOUCH IT, LET IT COOL HALF HOUR, DONT MIX.

Now, pour in butter, sugar, vanilla, salt
eggs, raisins and seasonings. Mix well.
Pour into a 1 1/2 or 2 qt baking dish greased with butter.
Bake uncovered 350 hot oven 45 minutes.
Serve warm, ok cold too.
With Lemon Sauce:


LEMON SAUCE: this is from All recipes, very good.

LEMON SAUCE:

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup water

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Mix up the sugar, cornstarch, water. Heat to boiling 2 minutes. Add peel, margarine, lemon juice.

Pour warm or cold over bread pudding

<message edited by fabulousoyster on Fri, 02/27/09 10:38 AM>

DoggyDaddy - I did exactly what you mentioned..I loaded it with 1/2 gt of half and half and 6 eggs for 4 cups of cubed bread!  It turned out very good.  Nice and moist..Finally.  The bread was floating in the liquid like you do it.

It is my own half-assed recipe.  I added a few different things you might want to add to your recipe.  Grated orange rind...Really good.  Amaretto, chocolate chips and coconut.  Basics...pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, brown sugar (1 c in total) and 1/2 stick butter.

I wanted to see what it was going to taste like before I baked it so I took a little and put it in the microwave.  Tasted fine so I went with it.

The Horseshoe casino in Louisiana makes a killer BP. It has bourbon in it. I googled up the recipe at one time.
Joe

This recipe is a winner no matter what you add to it:

New Orleans School of Cooking Bread Pudding

1 -- 10 ounce loaf stale French bread, crumble (6 - 8 cups of any bread) (I sort of cube it)
4 -- cups milk (+ or - cream)  (I like doing 3 c milk and 1 c cream)
2 -- cups sugar
8 -- T butter, melted
3 -- eggs
2 -- T Vanilla +

OPTIONAL
1 -- cup raisins
1 -- cup coconut
1 -- cup chopped pecans
1 -- T cinnamon
1 -- T nutmeg

First mix Cinnamon & sugar if using. Combine all ingredients, mixture should be very moist (like oatmeal) but not soupy. Like a slushy jiggle. Pour into buttered 9 X 12" or larger baking dish. (Use disposable aluminum pan) Place into non-preheated oven. Bake at 350º for approximately one hour and 15 minutes... until top is golden brown. Serve warm with sauce.

VARIATIONS:

Pina Colada: (Pina Colada mix with the milk, crushed pineapple & toasted coconut)
Banana liqueur + bananas
Amaretto + almonds + chocolate chips (NO cinnamon)
Peanut butter cups + chocolate milk
Sweet Potato + Gingerbread Schnapps
Peach Liqueur or juice + chopped drained peaches (NO nuts) 


WHISKEY SAUCE (should double!)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup bourbon or to taste (flavored schnapps or juice)

Cream butter and sugar over medium heat until all butter is absorbed. Remove from heat and blend in egg yolk. Pour in bourbon gradually to your own taste, stirring constantly. Sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve warm over warm bread pudding (Or chicken or fish) 

****  The last time I made it I used pina colada mix for 2 cups of the milk and 2 cups cream.  I used shredded coconut and crushed pineapple.  YUM!

I've also done the gingerbread schnapps with peaches.  WOW!

Thanks to all..Terrific recipes....

pictures Chuck , lets have some pictures

Baah,

I'm glad that it all worked out, I like to help...

mark