Creole Banana Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce
(from Joe Simmer's All American Slow Cookin'
5 large eggs 2 cups half and half
1 cup firmly packed dark 2 tsp. vanilla extract
brown sugar 2 TBS. dark rum
1 tsp. ground cinnamon 6 cups French bread cut in 1"
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg cubes
1/8 tsp. salt 1/4 cup melted butter
1 large, or 2 small bananas sliced
3/4 cup dark raisins(optional)
Generously butter the crock of the slow cooker. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until frothy, then beat in the brown sugar. Sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then stir to blend. While stirring with whisk, add melted butter, and then the half and half. Stir in the vanilla extract and dark rum. Add the cubed French bread and using the back of a large spoon, press it into the custard mixture. Fold in the sliced bananas and raisins(if using). Spoon the mixture into the crock, spread evenly, but do not stir. Cover and cook on high 2-3 hrs, or until custard is set- a butter knife inserted in the center of the pudding should come out clean. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
Rum Sauce
1 stick unsalted butter 2 TBS. water
1 cup firmly packed brown 1/2 tsp. freshly grated sugar nutmeg
1/4 cup, plus 1 TBS. dark rum, 1/8 tsp. salt
divided 1 large egg, beaten
Melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, 1/4 cup rum, water, nutmeg, and salt and cook, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat, and using a whisk, beat in the beaten egg. Return the pan to the heat and continue stirring and simmering, until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining TBS. of rum. Serve the warm sauce over the warm bread pudding.
Chef's note - sometimes the pudding sticks around the edges, but some people think that's the best part. Here's another sauce recipe:
Tart Cranberry Bread Pudding Sauce
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce 1/2 can water (use
2 tsp. vanilla cranberry can)
1/4 cup brandy 1 cup sugar
6 TBS. cornstarch 1/2 stick butter
Mix all ingredients except cornstarch and butter, in a saucepan and bring to a boil. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch with a little water to a thick, creamy consistency. Add the cornstarch mixture slowly to cranberry mixture, stirring constantly over medium heat, until sauce reaches desired thickness. You may not need all of the cornstarch.
Keep sauce hot in a double boiler. Just before serving, add butter to sauce.