Cooks Illustrated Bread Pudding Recipes

COOKS ILLUSTRATED BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• 1. Adjust oven racks to middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine brown sugar and 1 T granulated sugar in small bowl; set aside. 2. Spread bread cubes in single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake, tossing occasionally, until just dry, about 15 minutes, switching trays from top to bottom racks halfway through. Cool bread cubes about 15 minutes, set aside 2 cups. 3. Whisk yolks, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk in cream and milk until combined. Add remaining 8 cups cooled bread and toss to coat. Transfer mixture to 9x13 pan and let stand, occasionally pressing bread into custard, until cubes are thoroughly saturated, about 30 minutes. 4. Spread reserved bread evenly over top of soaked bread and gently press into custard. Using pastry brush, dab melted butter over top of unsoaked bread pieces. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture evenly over top. Place bread pudding on rimmed baking sheet and bake on middle rack until custard has just set and pressing center of pudding with finger reveals no runny liquid, about 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool until pudding is set and just warm, about 45 minutes. Bourbon Brown Sugar sauce 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 7 T heavy cream 2 1/2 T unsalted butter 1 1/2 T bourbon (or rum) Whisk brown sugar and heavy cream in small saucepan over medium heat until combined. Continue to cook, whisking frequently, until mixture comes to boil, about 5 minutes. Whisk in butter and bring mixture back to boil; about 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in bourbon. Cool to just warm; serve

BREAD PUDDING WITH SPICED RUM SAUCE

Steps:

• Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Whisk eggs in large bowl to blend. Add milk, sugar, cream, and vanilla; whisk to blend well. Stir in bread and raisins. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake pudding uncovered until puffed and golden, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool slightly (pudding will fall). Serve warm with Spiced Rum Sauce.

SIMPLE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk, butter, vanilla, sugar and salt. Continue cooking just until butter melts; cool. Meanwhile, butter a 4-to-6-cup baking dish and fill it with cubed bread.
• Add eggs to cooled milk mixture and whisk; pour mixture over bread. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until custard is set but still a little wobbly and edges of bread have browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ULTIMATE CARAMEL BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Spread 1 c Caramel Sauce in bottom of 13 x 9 pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Any large loaf will do, but a nice French bread, or a Challah work especially well.
• Spread bread cubes onto sheet pan in a single layer. Brown in oven for about 10-12 minutes.
• Reduce oven to 325. Don't forget this step (the voice of experience speaks)!
• In a medium bowl, mix eggs, half-and-half, vanilla and salt. Add 1 1/2 c caramel sauce to this mixture.
• Place bread cubes in a very large bowl and pour mixture over cubes. Toss gently until all cubes are coated.
• Let stand 20 minutes, gently mixing occasionally. Be sure that there are no dry cubes!
• Spread the soaked bread over the caramel in the 13 x 9 pan.
• Bake at lower oven level for 45 minutes.
• Let cool 30 minutes and serve, drizzled with remaining caramel sauce.

COOK'S ILLUSTRATED ULTIMATE BANANA BREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. 2. Place 5 bananas in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife. Microwave on high power until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes. Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer placed over medium bowl and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes (you should have ½ to ¾ cup liquid). 3. Transfer liquid to medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas, and mash with potato masher until fairly smooth. Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla. 4. Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in walnuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Slice remaining banana diagonally into ¼-inch-thick slices. Shingle banana slices on top of either side of loaf, leaving 1½-inch-wide space down center to ensure even rise. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over loaf. 5. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 15 minutes, then remove loaf from pan and continue to cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.