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View Full Version : Can you help me lighten this recipe?



foodie18
10-31-2008, 05:34 PM
I LOVE this recipe. It is decadent and to die for! I haven't made it in years and forgot just how artery-clogging it was. We are hosting friends for dinner and would like to serve it but would like to lighten it a little if I could. I am afraid to substitute whole milk for the half and half or egg whites for the eggs without knowing what the outcome will be. Any suggestions? (it's from epicurious.com)

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Rum Sauce

Ingredients
1 1-pound loaf brioche* or egg bread with crust, cut into 1-inch cubes
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups half and half
1 cup sugar
6 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
Cinnamon-Rum Sauce

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place bread in large bowl; pour 8 tablespoons melted butter over bread and toss to coat. Add chocolate chips and toss to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared dish.
Whisk half and half, 1 cup sugar, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and salt in large bowl to blend. Pour over bread cubes in dish. Let stand 30 minutes, occasionally pressing bread cubes into custard. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter over pudding; sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake bread pudding until puffed, brown, and set in center, about 1 hour. Serve warm with Cinnamon-Rum Sauce.
*Brioche is a golden, light bread made from egg- and butter-enriched yeast dough. It is available at French bakeries and some large supermarkets.

Cinnamon Rum Sauce

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dark rum
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preparation
Melt unsalted butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add dark brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt and whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbling and smooth, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in dark rum and vanilla extract. Serve warm.
(Cinnamon-Rum Sauce can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat, whisking occasionally, before serving.)

dreamer101
10-31-2008, 06:55 PM
I see what you mean about the artery clogging recipe. Is it a Paula Deen recipe LOL?

I would butter the slices of brioche (before cubing) instead of melting 10 tablespoons. It would probably reduce butter by half. Switch the 2 1/2 cups of half and half with either the fat free or 2% evaporated milk and drop the extra egg yolks. The sauce you could probably just reduce the amount for your serving.

zackaboo
10-31-2008, 07:35 PM
I recently made the Pumpkin Bread Pudding from epicurious, and while it wasn't quite as outrageous as this one, I did make some successful changes to lighten. I totally omitted the step to soak the bread in butter. I had never done that with a bread pudding before and didn't see the need. I also used 1/2 half and half and 1/2 2% milk, and it was fine. For this recipe, I would also reduce the egg yolks and use less sauce for serving as Dreamer suggested. On a day when calories don't count, this looks fabulous! :)

foodie18
11-01-2008, 05:21 AM
Thank you - I will give it a shot! Off to the market...

Terri_A
11-01-2008, 05:25 AM
foodie - keep us posted...this may end up on my Thanksgiving menu if it's good!!!

margeslp
11-01-2008, 05:49 AM
Foodie - I have used Eggbeaters and skimmed milk in bread puddings with what I thought was palatable success. No it's not the same but I don't have a choice. It will lack in some depth of flavor which is why they may add the extra yolk.
Another thought - on a holiday, enjoy. You could suggest to those interested in healthy choices to observe careful PORTION CONTROL.
Also- are there other items are your menu that can be reduced in fat?
Last Thanksgiving I did a somewhat Weight Watchers meal that my son enjoyed. He respects my need but knew I invited honest comments. I did have some items for my family I could only take a bite of and packed them up and sent them out of my house.
If this isn't Paula Deene's recipe it should be.

dreamer101
11-01-2008, 10:31 AM
What was I thinking! It couldn't be Paula Dean's. Paula wouldn't use a half and half. She would go for the full fat heavy or whipping cream.