Good News For Stale Bread – lip smackin’ bread puddin’ with hard sauce

I had my first taste of bread pudding circa 1975 at New Orleans’ famous Commander’s Palace.  In the then bordello atmosphere of heavy red drapery and flocked wallpaper, the waiter bought out the meringue topped CP soufflé version.  It was unstoppably luscious, but the drawback is, even if you know what you’re doing, it takes about 2 1/2 hours to create.   Even then, you need near perfect technique and temperature.   But, if you want to give that one a try, use your friendly Google to grab the recipe.  Or, you can fly to N.O., plop down your $8 and they’ll fix it for you.

What is bread pudding anyway?  Depends.  Been around for a long, long time, and the recipes are endless.  Practically every ancient civilization had its versions.  All used stale bread.  But, custard, or pudding didn’t come along until the middle ages, when some kitchen serf decided it would be a grand idea to please his liege with a milk and egg concoction.

We think of bread pudding as sweet, and many versions are.  But, other takes include meats or cheeses.  Hey, you got any stale bread?  I got a medium sweet version that takes about an hour fifteen to prepare and tastes heavenly.

Gotta warn you though, it’s addictive.  But, first, back to basics.  I use stale baguette rounds, but any bread will do, except for the air-bread you find in supermarkets that has more preservatives than a taxidermist’s first pet.  Some of that stuff won’t go stale in a millennium of leap years.  So, to complete this dish before I gave up in disgust and took to strong drink and unsavory ladies, my wife suggested I use baguettes.   Smart woman.  I had a foot out the door when her plaintive cries caught my ear.  I like to leave the crust on, by the way.

Bread Pudding with Hard Sauce

For the bread pudding:

Ten to twelve very stale baguette rounds, generously buttered, and then broken into medium sized pieces

1/2 Cup golden raisins

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

2 eggs

1 Cup milk

1 Cup whipping cream, divided into two 1/2 cup servings

3 Tablespoons sugar + extra to sprinkle over the top

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Nutmeg

Plump the raisins by heating them in a small portion of water.  Drain.  Arrange the buttered, broken bread pieces in a four-cup baking dish. Sprinkle the raisins and grated lemon peel over the top.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

Beat eggs with the milk, 1/2 cup cream, salt, sugar, and vanilla. Pour the mixture over the bread.  Pour the remainder of the cream over the top, but do not stir.  Let the mixture stand for 30 minutes. Sprinkle a couple of level tablespoons of sugar and the nutmeg on top and slide it in the middle of a preheated oven.

Bake the pudding for 40 minutes, or until it is golden brown.  Cool for ten minutes before serving. 

For the hard sauce:

1 stick butter

1 1/2 Cups powdered sugar

3-4 Tablespoons brandy or run

Cream the butter.  Add the sugar and blend.  Add the brandy or rum and blend until mixed.

I tend to go easy on the brandy or rum.  I want the hint of flavor, not a shot of whiskey.

Simple.  Delicious.  Don’t invite anyone you don’t want to invite again.  They’ll follow you around like stray dogs, waiting for another invitation.  Be forceful.  Make them bring the dinner wine and tell them you don’t drink cheap stuff.