Amandas Bread Pudding Recipes

SAVORY BREAD PUDDING WITH SAUSAGE, SPINACH, POACHED EGGS, AND PARMESAN-THYME CREAM

Steps:

• For the Parmesan-thyme cream: In a heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium-low heat, add the cream, bay leaf and garlic. Simmer until reduced by two-thirds, about 20 minutes, being careful not boil the liquid or scorch the bottom of the pot. With a slotted spoon, remove the garlic and bay leaf. Whisk in the Parmesan. When the Parmesan has melted the sauce is smooth, add the thyme, salt and pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes. Serve warm. (Make 1 quart.)
• For the savory bread pudding: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until beginning to soften, 4 minutes. Add the celery, garlic and thyme; cook for another 3 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. In another mixing bowl place the cubed bread. Pour the milk-egg mixture over the bread and mix. Let sit for 10 minutes, until the bread has soaked up liquid. Fold in onion mixture.
• Grease an 8-by-10-inch baking dish with the butter. Add the bread mixture and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook until the top is toasted and golden brown, another 10 to 15 minutes.
• To serve, cut into 4-by-4-inch portions and place on a plate. Add a sausage patty, 1/4 cup of the spinach and two poached eggs. Pour one-quarter of the Parmesan-thyme cream over the top.

MORNING BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat a 9-inch ceramic or Pyrex pie dish in a 350 oven. Meanwhile, in a small, heavy saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, salt and butter. Place over medium low heat. The butter will melt and the sugar will dissolve; it will boil for a few minutes, then begin to brown. Adjust heat and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon so that it browns evenly. When it reaches a dark brown, remove from heat and pour into the base of the preheated pie dish. Swirl the caramel around the base and 1 inch up the sides of the dish. Let it cool before placing dish in refrigerator and chill until caramel is cold.
• After chilling, place heel of bread in center of dish (or two slices stacked on top of each other). Then arrange the rest of the slices upright in a fan shape, around the center. They should overlap slightly and fill the pie dish snugly. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and mascarpone cheese, until very smooth. Add milk and almond extract. Pour this over the bread, making sure to saturate all of it. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• In the morning, take pie dish out of refrigerator and discard plastic wrap. Let it warm up on the counter for about an hour. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake pudding 15 minutes, then sprinkle almonds over pudding. Continue baking until moist but not wet in the center, about 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and run a knife around edge of dish, loosening bread from sides. Place a serving plate over top of dish (bottom side up), and, using potholders, hold pudding over sink and in a single fluid motion, holding it away from your body, invert plate. Lift off pie dish. Scrape any extra caramel from pie dish over pudding. Serve, cutting it into wedges at the table and spooning a healthy dollop of fromage frais onto each plate.

AMANDA'S BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan. Scald the milk and the half and half. Add the 1/2 stick butter and the 1/2 cup sugar. Pour over the four cups of French bread, raisins and pecans. Let sit for 15 minutes.
• Whisk together eggs, vanilla nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour over bread mixture. Bake for 350 degree for 45 minutes.
• To make the whiskey sauce over medium heat the 1 stick of butter, 1 cup sugar, evaporated milk and egg yolk. Remove from heat and then stir in 3/4 cup of whiskey.

AMANDA'S HAWAIIAN BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream eggs and sugar together. Add milk and vanilla and mix well. Add Hawaiian bread (crumbled). Let bread soak in liquid mixture until very soft. Press until all bread is soaked in the liquid mixture. Add butter and mix well.
• Pour into a well-oiled 8x8 inch baking pan.
• Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Mixture will rise like a souffle. When golden brown, remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with cinnamon if desired.

OLD-FASHIONED BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 10x12-inch baking pan.
• Combine half-and-half, eggs, sugar, heavy cream, raisins, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in a bowl; mix well.
• Arrange bread pieces on the bottom of the prepared pan. Pour cream mixture over bread. Allow to soak 10 to 15 minutes.
• Place the baking pan into a larger pan; fill the larger pan with water halfway up the sides of the smaller pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 60 to 75 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over low heat. Pour into a small bowl; add confectioners' sugar and mix well.
• Remove bread pudding from the oven. Poke holes throughout using a butter knife. Pour butter sauce over the top.