Bread Pudding
"What about Uncle Dean?" She knew already but loved hearing the stories over and over.
“Your Uncle Dean was a strange one. He loved fried liver and onions and wanted bread pudding afterwards. Ever’body dreaded his birthday." The sound of chuckles mixed with clinking silverware on plates brought a smile to Granny Jo's face.
- The Piper & The Prophecy
We’re making Uncle Dean’s favorite birthday dessert, Bread Pudding. But we’re making a Maple Brown Butter & Bourbon Bread Pudding!
This is such a simple dish to make that I thought we could give it a little more oomph without really making it much more complicated. And it is so good!
The texture is perfectly creamy and is a perfect backdrop for the brown butter. The crust from the baguette almost tastes like it’s been candied and was definitely my favorite part. The brown sugar and maple syrup gave the dish so much extra flavor and made a bubbly syrup around the edges. And the bourbon added a little something extra.
I expected it to be good, but I did not expect just how good. I think the great-grandmas and grandmas would want my recipe for this one. In fact, I broke out my chenille for serving, because it always makes me think of Momaw.
To make;
Bread Pudding
Serves 6-8
5 cups day-old baguette, torn
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 c brown sugar
4 tbsp browned butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp bourbon (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
I. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 inch pan or 9x6 oval dish like mine.
II. Begin by browning the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Stir frequently until it goes golden brown. Remove from heat into a small bowl and set aside.
III. Soak the torn bread in the milk in a large bowl for a few minutes until it is moist. Meanwhile whisk the eggs, syrup, sugar, vanilla, bourbon, cinnamon, salt, and reserved butter. Fold the mixture gently into the bread and dump it all into your pan.
IV. Bake for 40-45 minutes until it is golden, set in the middle, and bubbling on the edges.
V. Serve warm. I stirred a little sea salt, cinnamon, maple syrup, and bourbon into a store bought whipped cream for topping my pudding and it was delicious.
~ from the table of Summer crosby hennessy of acorn moon mercantile ~