Classic Bread Pudding Recipe Martha Stewart

CLASSIC BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Butter a 9 × 13-inch baking dish; set aside. Put the bread in a large bowl; set aside. Heat the milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just about to simmer; remove from heat.
• Whisk the eggs, yolk, sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, pour the cream mixture in a slow, steady stream into the egg mixture. Pour over the bread; fold to combine. Let stand 30 minutes, tossing and pressing occasionally to submerge the bread.
• Meanwhile, soak the raisins in 1 cup boiling water for 30 minutes.
• Drain; stir the raisins into the bread mixture. Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bread to the buttered dish; pour the liquid in the bowl over the top. Using a spoon, turn the top layer of bread crust side up.
• Set the dish in a roasting pan; transfer to the oven. Pour boiling water into the pan to reach about halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes. Let the dish cool on a rack 10 to 20 minutes.
• Stir 3 tablespoons rum into the egg mixture. Heat 2 tablespoons each brown sugar and unsalted butter in a skillet until melted and caramelized. Add 2 sliced bananas; cook 1 to 2 minutes. Fold into the soaked bread along with 3/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut.
• Add 8 ounces coarsely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate to the hot cream mixture; stir until melted and well combined. Whisk the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
• Simmer 3/4 cup dried cranberries in 3/4 cup orange juice until plump, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the cranberries; fold into the soaked bread along with 2 tablespoons grated orange zest and 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans.

KRIS KRINGLE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Brush two 1 1/2-quart ovenproof bowls with butter, and sprinkle with vanilla sugar; tap out excess. Bring Armagnac, dried fruit, and prunes to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fruit has softened and absorbed the liquid, about 10 minutes. Coarsely chop fruit.
• Bring cream, half and half, vanilla sugar, cinnamon, vanilla beans and seeds, and zest to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
• Lightly beat egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, gradually ladle half the hot-cream mixture into the yolks. Pour yolk mixture into saucepan with remaining cream mixture. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly and scraping sides of pan, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Pass custard through a fine sieve into a large bowl; discard solids.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In another large bowl, combine brioche cubes and chopped fruit, reserving 1/2 cup fruit. Pour in custard; toss to combine. Divide bread mixture between prepared bowls. Top each with half the reserved fruit. Sprinkle with vanilla sugar. Place a parchment round in water to dampen and transfer to top of pudding bowl to cover. Use a rubber band to secure, and tie with kitchen twine. Repeat process with second bowl. Let stand until bread has soaked up liquid, about 20 minutes.
• Set bowls in deep roasting pan. Transfer pan to oven; add enough boiling water to come 3 inches up sides of bowls. Bake 1 hour. Uncover; bake until set, about 30 minutes more. Serve warm or at room temperature, with sour lemon sauce. Puddings can be refrigerated up to 3 days; let cool completely before covering with plastic wrap. If desired, reheat in a 350-degree oven, just until warm.