New Orleans Bread Pudding With Bourbon Sauce Recipe 435

NEW ORLEANS BREAD PUDDING WITH BOURBON SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
• MAKE THE PUDDING: In a small bowl, combine the pecans, sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the pecan mixture and blend well. Stir in the milk and raisins.
• Place the bread cubes in the prepared pan. Pour the egg mixture over them and toss gently until the bread is soaked. Let the pudding sit until the bread has absorbed nearly all the liquid, about 35 minutes. Stir the mixture once or twice to moisten the bread evenly.
• Meanwhile, MAKE THE TOPPING: In a small bowl, combine the pecans, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
• Bake the pudding for 25 minutes. Sprinkle the pecan topping over the pudding and continue baking for another 10 minutes, or until the pudding is set and the topping is browned.
• Meanwhile, MAKE THE BOURBON SAUCE: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and cornstarch, and cook, stirring, until dissolved. Whisk in the cream and vanilla, and continue cooking, stirring, until sauce thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the bourbon and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds. Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool slightly.
• To serve, spoon the pudding out on plates, then ladle a bit of the bourbon sauce over each serving.
• NOTE: To toast the pecans, place them on an ungreased cookie sheet in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until golden.

N'AWLINS BOURBON GLAZED BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Cut the bread into one-inch cubes and; if the bread is fresh, let it dry at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Place the cubes in a large mixing bowl. Cover with milk and let stand about 15 minutes until milk is absorbed.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until thick and creamy. Add pecans and raisins, pour over the soaked bread cubes, and stir until mixed.
• Grease a 9 x 11 x 2-inch baking dish ( or 2 6-cup dishes. Spoon the pudding mixture into the baking dish(es) and dot the surface of the pudding evenly with butter.
• The pudding must bake in a water-bath, so place a larger shallow pan in the center of the preheated oven. Set the dishes dishes in it and pour boiling water into the outer pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center of the pudding comes out clean. Let stand at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving.
• To make the Bourbon Sauce: Combine the sugar with the water in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil without stirring. Insert a candy thermometer and let simmer until the mixture reaches 238 depgrees, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the thermometer.
• Lower the heat and add the pieces of butter all at once. Stir rapidly with a wire whisk until the butter has been absorbed and the mixture is creamy. Remove the pan from the heat.
• Blend the bourbon and cornstarch together until well combined and stir into the sauce. Beat with a whisk until smooth. Return the sauce to the heat and whisk for a minute or two, just until it reaches a hard boil and bubbles up in the pan. If the sauce remains hot for too long a time or is overcooked, it will eventually become grainy from the evaporation of the liquid. To remedy this, simply add a tablespoon or two of water and reheat, whisking constantly to a hard boil. Remove from the heat. Serve over the warm bread pudding.
• Note: The one large pudding will make 10-12 servings. If your group is small, make the pudding in the two 6-cup dishes. Serve the one and store the other in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 4 months. To serve, bring to room temperature,l then heat at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes until it is warm through. The sauce may be made in advance and stored in the refrigertor for up to a month. To serve, bring it to a boil in a small heavy saucean over medium heat, whisking constantly. If the sauce sugars, remedy it as above.

CLASSIC NEW ORLEANS BREAD PUDDING WITH A BOURBON SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a 6-cup (9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 2 3/4-inch) loaf pan with butter. Whisk the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and bourbon together in a large mixing bowl until very smooth. Add the half-and-half and mix well. Add the bread and raisins, and let the mixture sit for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Bake until the pudding is set in the center, about 55 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. To serve, cut the pudding into 1-inch thick slices. Lay each slice in the center of each serving plate. Spoon some of the Bourbon Sauce over the pudding. Top with the spiced cream. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and confectioners' sugar.