gimme yer drunken puddin' ;)

[lorilei]

I've been on a quest... a quest for the best bourbon-soaked southern bread pudding I can find.

Now, I'll admit CL's Irish bread pudding is pretty good -- but it doesn't quite meet my standards at this juncture. I'm on a mission for something a bit more sinful.

I'm looking for a nice moist pudding with a pronounced flavor. One of those puddings that one would be likely to encounter at a little eatery in New Orleans... Something unbelievably rich tasting and thereby probably NOT light.

Does anyone have a great bread pudding recipe to share? Something classic and completely delish?

[emilycat]

Lorilei,

I'm terribly sorry I don't have a recipe for you offhand (and by the way, I'm getting around to your artichoke recipe http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif ), but a fantastic bourbon can go a long way for the end result. I'd like to suggest Knob Creek http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Gail]

...now didn't I give you one already? Maybe it didn't qualify since it wasn't soaked..?

Y'know I never thought of doing it with Knob Creek, though, and I've got most of a bottle sitting in the bar. Thanks for the suggestion, Emily! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[lorilei]

Well, darnitall emily, great minds must think alike! Gotta bottle o' that KNOB sittin' right up here on me counter, just waitin' to be drunk http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[lorilei]

Hmm... now, Gail. I have a banana bread pudding recipe from you...oh, make that TWO banana bread puddings... then there's Emeril's chocolate bread pudding... but I don't see a plain bread pudding recipe from Gail.

Then again, this could be that young peoples' alzheimers that I'm so prone to. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[AndreaU]

Wrong kind of pudding, but I have to add my suggestion. For a party in college, we had a #10 can (as in food service size- like you'd get at a wholesale club) of chocolate pudding and thought it would be fun to make "100 Proof Pudding" by adding peppermint schnapps! It was VERY good, needless to say. It was even a lot of fun once we broke out the straws to suck it all up! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Aaaahhh, those were the days.

[funnybone]

Never made these, but here they are:

BREAD PUDDING WITH BLUEBERRY-LEMON SAUCE
Southern Living - May 2001

1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups whipping cream
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) loaf stale French bread, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Blueberry-Lemon Sauce
Whipped cream (optional)


BEAT sugar and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add whipping cream and next 4 ingredients, beating until blended. Fold in bread cubes and blueberries; pour into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan. Let stand 10 minutes.

BAKE at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Serve with Blueberry-Lemon Sauce and, if desired, whipped cream.

Yield: 8 servings.
Prep: 20 min., Bake: 45 min.

BLUEBERRY-LEMON SAUCE:

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries


BRING first 4 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; add blueberries, and simmer, stirring constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Yield: 1 1/2cups.
Prep: 5 min., Cook: 7 min.

These are from www.foodtv.com (http://www.foodtv.com)


CLASSIC NEW ORLEANS BREAD PUDDING WITH A BOURBON SAUCE

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2000

1 teaspoon unsalted butter
4 large eggs
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup Bourbon
2 cups half-and-half
8 slices day-old French bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1 cup raisins
1 recipe Spiced Cream, recipe follows
Sprigs fresh mint
Shaker confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 6-cup (9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 2 3/4-inch) loaf pan with butter. Whisk the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and bourbon together in a large mixing bowl until very smooth. Add the half-and-half and mix well. Add the bread and raisins, and let the mixture sit for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake until the pudding is set in the center, about 55 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. To serve, cut the pudding into 1-inch thick slices. Lay each slice in the center of each serving plate. Spoon some of the Bourbon Sauce over the pudding. Top with the spiced cream. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and confecti

Yield: about 10 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hours 0 minutes


Show # EM1D28


KAHLUA CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING

c.1996, M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger, all rights reserved

Pecan Streusel:
1 cup pecan halves, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, cut into tiny bits

Bread Pudding:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 1/2 cups cream
6 eggs
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 loaf stale French bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

Kahlua Sauce:
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 cup Kahlua
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks, for garnish

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the pecan streusel and toss together with your fingertips until crumbly and evenly blended. Refrigerate until needed.

Butter an 8 x 13inch glass loaf pan and dredge it with sugar.

In the top of a double boiler, melt chocolate over simmering water. Add the brown sugar and cream, whisk until smooth and remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a very large bowl, whisk together thoroughly the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla. Stir 1/4 cup of this custard mixture into the chocolate to temper it, then add all of the chocolate mixture back into the custard. Add the bread cubes to the bowl, toss until they are evenly coated, and let sit in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Pour into prepared loaf pan and place in a larger pan. Fill the larger pan with boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Top with pecan streusel and bake for about 2 hours, until center feels slightly firm. While cooking, make the Kahlua sauce.

In the top of a double boiler, melt the butter and then add the Kahlua and sugar. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Whisk 1 tablespoon of the Kahlua mixture into the egg to temper it, then return the whole mixture to the double boiler and cook, stirring constantly, over simmering water until slightly thickened. Strain into a warmed pitcher and cover with foil to keep warm.

Slice the warm pudding and serve with a pool of the warm Kahlua sauce on one side of the plate and a spoonful of whipped cream on the other.

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 7 hours 20 minutes


CREOLE BREAD PUDDING WITH WHISKEY SAUCE

Recipe Courtesy of Commander's Kitchen (Broadway, 2000) by Ti Adelaide Martin and Jamie Shannon

1 tablespoon butter
12 medium eggs, beaten
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 ounces day-old French bread, sliced 1 inch thick (see Note)
Whiskey Sauce (see below)


Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Butter a large (11 x 8 1/2 x 3 inches) casserole dish and set aside. (Once in the oven, the casserole will sit inside a larger pan. A roasting pan would be good.) Mix the eggs, cream, and vanilla in a large bowl, and combine the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a separate bowl. This helps to evenly distribute the spices. Add the sugar mixture to the egg mixture, and combine thoroughly.

Place the raisins in the bottom of the buttered casserole, and add the bread slices in a single layer. Gently pour the custard over the bread, making certain that all the bread thoroughly soaks up the custard. Cover the casserole with foil, place in a larger dish (the roasting pan, if that's what you've decided to use) partly filled with hot water, and bake for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the foil, add increase the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Bake for 1 hour more, or until the pudding is golden brown and slightly firm. Use a spoon to make sure the custard is fully cooked; it should be moist but no longer runny. If you're unsure whether it's done, remove it from the oven and let it cool while it remains sitting in the water bath; the carryover effect will keep it cooking but it will not overcook. Serve slightly warm with whiskey sauce.

Note: New Orleans French bread is very light and tender. Outside New Orleans, use only a light bread. If the bread is too dense, the recipe won't work.

Whiskey Sauce

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup bourbon

Bring the cream to a boil, combine the cornstarch and water, and add the mixture to the boiling cream, stirring constantly. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the mixture. Add the sugar and bourbon, and stir. Let cool to room temperature.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

[funnybone]

Here are more from www.foodtv.com (http://www.foodtv.com)


BREAD PUDDING WITH SOUTHERN BOURBON SAUCE

Recipe courtesy Barbara Garett

3 cups stale French Bread, cut in 3/4-inch cubes
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup white raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place stale bread in a bowl with milk and squeeze the bread with your hand until well saturated with milk. With an electric mixer on high speed in a separate bowl, beat eggs with sugar until thick and pale. Stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter and raisins to the egg mixture. Add the soaked bread crumbs to the egg mixture and stir well. Let stand for 10 minutes. It is important to allow enough time for the bread to absorb the egg mixture or the bread crumbs will float to the top during baking, leaving a layer of custard on the bottom of the dish.

Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish. Bake until firm, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let it slightly cool in the dish.

Bourbon Sauce:
2 egg yolks
1 stick butter, not margarine
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup bourbon whiskey, to taste

Meanwhile, near the end of the baking time, make the sauce. With an electric mixer, beat egg yolks until thick and pale. In a saucepan, melt the butter and sugar. Pour the butter and sugar mixture over the egg yolks, beating constantly with the mixer, until well thickened. Stir in bourbon by hand. Serve the pudding warm with vanilla ice cream if desired. Pass the hot bourbon sauce separately.

The recipes for this program, which were provided by contributors and guests who may not be professional chefs, have not been tested in the Food Network’s kitchens. Therefore, the Food Network cannot attest to the accuracy of any of the recipes


Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes


Show # CA1B20


SOUTHERN BREAD PUDDING

Recipe courtesy Rhea P. Smith, Executive Chef of Soul Cafe, NYC

2 cans evaporated milk
4 loaves French bread, cubed
1 quart heavy cream
8 ounces unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 eggs, lightly beaten
6 Granny Smith apples, cored and cubed, skin intact
1 cup golden raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Warm evaporated milk in a large saucepan over low heat. Add bread and soak for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine heavy cream, melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla with eggs in a large bowl. Lightly beat all ingredients together. Add bread, apples and raisins and mix together gently.

Grease a large deep baking dish. Pour bread mixture into dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until browned.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Easy


Show # SU1A24

[lorilei]

funnybone - mmmm... Have you made /any/ of them before?

They look scrumptious, but I'm asking because I already have a number of fairly good recipes (I've actually tried Emeril's above, and it's pretty good)... but nothing that simply bowls me over. Texture is important here, and every pudding is a little bit different...

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 05-30-2001).]

[amanda]

This is really close to one of the earlier posts, but the meringue should change the texture. I haven't made it.

BREAD PUDDING SOUFFLE WITH WHISKEY SAUCE

Bread Pudding:
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
3 medium eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (use a high-quality extract, not an imitation)
5 cups day-old French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (see Note)
1/3 cup raisins

Whiskey sauce:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup bourbon

Meringue:
9 medium egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

To make the bread pudding, combine the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs until smooth, then work in the heavy cream. Add the vanilla, then the bread cubes. Allow the bread to soak up the custard. Scatter the raisins in the greased pan, and top with the egg mixture, which will prevent the raisins from burning. Bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes or until the pudding has a golden color and is firm to the touch. If a toothpick inserted in the pudding comes out clean, it is done. It should be moist, not runny or dry. Let cool to room temperature.

To make the sauce, bring the cream to a boil, combine the cornstarch and water, and add the mixture to the boiling cream, stirring constantly. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the mixture. Add the sugar and bourbon, and stir. Let cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and butter six 6-ounce ceramic ramekins.

To make the meringue, be certain that you use a bowl and whisk that are clean and that the egg whites are completely free of yolk. This dish needs a good, stiff meringue, and the egg whites will whip better if the chill is off them. In a large bowl or mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add the sugar, and continue whipping until shiny and thick. Test with a clean spoon. If the whites stand up stiff, like shaving cream, when you pull out the spoon, the meringue is ready. Do not overwhip, or the whites will break down and the soufflé will not work.

In a large bowl, break half the bread pudding into pieces using your hands or a spoon. Gently fold in a quarter of the meringue, being careful not to lose the air in the whites. Place a portion of this mixture in each of the ramekins.

Place the remaining bread pudding in the bowl, break into pieces, and carefully fold in the rest of the meringue. Top off the soufflés with this lighter mixture, to about 1 1/2 inches over the top edge of the ramekin. With a spoon, smooth and shape the tops into a dome over the ramekin rim.

Bake immediately for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately. Using a spoon at the table, poke a hole in the top of each soufflé and spoon the room-temperature whiskey sauce into the soufflé.

Note: New Orleans French bread is very light and tender. Outside New Orleans, use only a light bread. If the bread is too dense, the recipe won't work. We suggest Italian bread as the most comparable.

This one I have made, though it's not the right kind of pudding, but this is REALLY good, though not light. While I was making it my bf kept sneaking over and adding more Bailey's, so I know I had more that called for, but I don't know how much. I didn't make the crunch, but it sounds good, too.

BAILEYS PUDDING PARFAITS WITH OATMEAL-WALNUT CRUNCH

The oatmeal and nut mixture in this dessert is usually baked on fruit; here, it is cooked on its own, then layered with currants and a pudding made with Baileys Original Irish Cream.

For crunch
1 cup old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons instant coffee crystals
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

For pudding
1 1/4 cups chilled whipping cream
12 tablespoons Baileys Original Irish Cream
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
6 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

12 tablespoons dried currants

Make crunch:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture forms moist clumps. Mix in walnuts. Sprinkle mixture onto rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and crisp, occasionally stirring gently and leaving mixture in clumps, about 35 minutes. Cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight.)

Make pudding:
Combine 3/4 cup cream, 6 tablespoons Baileys liqueur, sugar, yolks and nutmeg in large metal bowl. Place over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Using electric mixer, beat until custard thickens and thermometer registers 160°F, about 8 minutes. Remove from over water and beat until cool, about 8 minutes. Mix in remaining 6 tablespoons liqueur. Beat remaining 1/2 cup cream in medium bowl to medium peaks. Fold into custard. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

Layer 1/4 cup pudding, 1 tablespoon currants and 3 tablespoons crunch in each of six 12-ounce goblets; repeat layering 1 more time. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour.

Serves 6.



[This message has been edited by amanda (edited 05-30-2001).]

[funnybone]

Originally posted by lorilei:
funnybone - mmmm... Have you made /any/ of them before?

They look scrumptious, but I'm asking because I already have a number of fairly good recipes (I've actually tried Emeril's above, and it's pretty good)... but nothing that simply bowls me over. Texture is important here, and every pudding is a little bit different...

[


Sorry, I haven't tried them - I really am not a bread pudding lover. I have seen some of them made though on food tv, and that is why I searched there for you.

[Lynn B]

I am drooling all over my keyboard...
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Lynn

[Gail]

...well maybe I just posted it, then? Here ya go, straight from another thread (and you can obviously forego the Little Boy Sauce):


BREAD PUDDING WITH WHISKEY SAUCE

2 tablespoons butter, softened
12 ounce loaf day-old French or Italian-type white bread
1 quart milk
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Sauce:

8 tablespoons butter cut into bits
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup bourbon or brandy

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter a 13x9x2-inch baking dish and set aside
Break bread into chunks, dropping them into a bowl. Pour milk over them. When bread is softened, crumble into small bits and let soak until all the milk is absorbed.
In a small bowl, beat 3 eggs and 1 cup of sugar together with whisk or electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and thick. Stir in the raisins, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then pour the egg mixture over the bread crumbs and stir until all the ingredients are well-combined.
Pour the bread pudding into baking dish. Place the dish in a large shallow roasting pan set in the middle of the oven. Add water to the roasting pan to a depth of about 1 inch. Bake 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Whiskey Sauce

Melt butter bits in top of double boiler set over hot, (not boiling) water. Stir 1 cup of sugar and 1 egg together in a small bowl and add the mixture to the butter. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sugar dissolves completely or the egg will curdle. Remove the pan from the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature before stirring in the bourbon.
Serve the bread pudding at once and present the whiskey sauce immediately.
Serves 8 - 10

(From: Louisiana Creole & Cajun)

Note: Since this sauce packs quite a wallop, in the event you're serving this to people who don't like alcohol, you can do as I do for my son. Before adding the alcohol, I take out a portion of the sauce and flavor with vanilla extract, thereby creating what we call "little boy sauce." To the rest I add whiskey in a slightly reduced ratio to amount of sauce left.

[Wendy w]

I am a tried and true fan of Gail's bread pudding, no little boy sauce for us!! The others look great, I will have to come back to them when I'm not going through a "being good" phase. I'm not actually good, but I'm trying. My coworker brought me a truffled cream puff and I haven't touched it yet! Will have to split it 4 ways when I'm ready!

[maizeyoats]

I am still on my brownie kick (I hope I get over it soon); but I have to admit Gail's recipe sounds good to me even though I have not been a fan of bread pudding.
Well, I never in my life have tried a bread pudding and if I do try it Gail's recipe will be the one. My husband likes bread pudding but I only make desserts I like. I'm a piggy what can I say!

[lorilei]

Alright.

We tried Gail's recipe last night -- and it is indeed scrumptious! I used leftover potato rolls from a get-together, and the pudding came out moist, tender and completely flavorful. My husband says it compares to a bread pudding he ate in New Orleans a few months ago http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

I poured all of the whiskey sauce right over the top of the warm pudding http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif And I'm suspecting the whole batch will be even better this morning.