Classic Bread Pudding Recipe Martha Stewart

LOUISIANA BREAD PUDDING WITH WHISKEY SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat bourbon in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until warm. Pour over raisins in a small bowl; let stand at least 1 hour or overnight.
• To make whiskey sauce: bring cream to a simmer over medium heat in a small saucepan. Whisk together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water; slowly whisk into cream. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low; simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in sugar and bourbon. Set aside and let cool completely.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together bread, milk, and cream in a large bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and allspice in a medium bowl; add to bread mixture. Stir in raisins and bourbon.
• Melt butter in an 8-inch square baking dish in oven. Remove from oven, and swirl to coat bottom of dish. Pour in bread mixture, distributing raisins evenly. Bake until bread cubes are browned around edges and custard is cooked, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Serve with whiskey sauce.

BREAD PUDDING 101

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center. Place bread cubes in a shallow 2 1/2-quart baking dish; set aside. Place raisins in a small bowl. Add zests and juices; let stand 30 minutes.
• Place eggs in a large bowl. In another large bowl, combine heavy cream, 1 cup sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg. Pour the cream mixture into eggs, whisking constantly until fully combined. Add the raisin mixture, and stir to combine. Pour over bread, making sure all the bread is thoroughly saturated. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
• Brush a sheet of parchment paper with butter. Place, buttered-side down, over the bread. Place baking dish in a larger roasting pan. Place in oven, and add enough water to the larger pan to come halfway up sides of baking dish. Bake 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and let stand 20 minutes before serving. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

MARTHA'S BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish and set aside. Combine currants and brandy in a small saucepan and heat over medium just until warm. Remove from heat, then cover and let stand 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons brandy.
• In a large bowl whisk together eggs, reserved brandy, salt, and sugar to combine. Add milk, cream, citrus zests, and orange juice to bowl and whisk until mixture is smooth and well-combined; stir in currants.
• Add half of brioche pieces to prepared baking dish; covering the bottom and shingling pieces as needed to fit. Ladle about half of egg mixture over top. Repeat layering with remaining half of bread pieces and egg mixture.
• Transfer dish to oven and bake 30 minutes. Remove dish and cover with parchment paper; return to oven and continue to bake until top is golden brown and custard is set, about 20 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 10 to 20 minutes before serving.

CLASSIC BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; set aside. Put bread in a large bowl; set aside. Heat milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just about to simmer; remove from heat.
• Whisk eggs, yolk, sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, pour cream mixture in a slow, steady stream into egg mixture. Pour over bread; fold to combine. Let stand 30 minutes, tossing and pressing occasionally to submerge bread.
• Meanwhile, soak raisins in 1 cup boiling water for 30 minutes.
• Drain; stir raisins into bread mixture. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a slotted spoon, transfer bread to buttered dish; pour liquid in bowl over top. Using spoon, turn top layer of bread crust side up.
• Set dish in a roasting pan; transfer to oven. Pour boiling water into pan to reach about halfway up sides of dish. Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes. Let dish cool on a rack 10 to 20 minutes.

CLASSIC VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium heatproof bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream, and egg yolks; add to saucepan.
• Whisking constantly, cook over medium-high until mixture thickens and is bubbling, 8 to 12 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking, 1 minute.
• Remove pan from heat and pour mixture through sieve into bowl. Stir in butter and vanilla until combined.
• Press plastic wrap directly against surface of pudding to prevent skin from forming and refrigerate 3 hours (or up to 3 days). To serve, whisk until smooth and divide among four small bowls.

VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• Prepare an ice bath; set aside. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl until smooth; whisk in cornstarch mixture.
• Combine milk, remaining sugar, and vanilla-bean scrapings in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly pour milk into egg mixture, whisking constantly.
• Return mixture to saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and transfer mixture to a medium heat-proof bowl.
• Whisk in butter and vanilla extract. Set bowl in ice bath, stirring occasionally, until chilled. Serve pudding with chocolate shavings on top, if desired.