Well I promised a while back that I would post this and just got around to it, for that I apologize. But since I am here, lets make a Bread Pudding.
Bread Pudding is nothing more than bread or cake cooked in a custard. I can't understand why anyone would find this daunting. I assume that bread pudding is everywhere because its a good way to use up that stale bread with basic kitchen ingredients, unless you jazz it up. Of course in Louisiana, we have French or Poboy bread, these are not the same. You usually see bread pudding made from French bread, the best is the bread with the delicious crisp crust, I think bakers call it crusty bread.
Earlier this week I made some crusty French bread. Delicious, you can eat a whole loaf when its hot. Well I did save some to make bread pudding, its actually why I made the bread.
You can NOT make bread pudding with bread that is not stale. Just not worth a flip. The bread maintains its structural integrity instead of biding. So you'll need to cut up about 8 cups to make a 9 x 13 (1 1/2 qt casserole). I don't like round because you miss those good corners on the bread pudding.
I just butter 2 or 3 slices, the cut up enough to fill the bowl, its 8 cups. Then normally set 24, but this time it was 48 hrs. Nice and hard.
Here's the rest of the ingredients. LOL..... I will put the basic recipe down below.
You throw the bread in the bowl, then add the custard mix. Now is when you contemplate what flavor you want to dazzle their taste buds with, or are just going with the old standard. The old standard, raisins are your only fruit but with todays everyday culinary experts it has progressed by leaps and bounds.
Note: Important to remember, you should allow a min of 2 hours for the custard to be absorbed, usually 4 hour is the agreed upon time. Let that custard get in and break down that bread structure. Also this is a desert bread pudding and not a savory, so you'll note the buttered dish. They can be cooked in a pan or a individuals in a muffin pan, or even some of those fancy French pans.
Todays is going to be a Pina Colada Bread pudding, remember any fresh fruit is fair game for bread pudding. Pina colada is coconut, pineapple, and rum. I reduced the cream and replaced it with coconut cream. Not coconut milk, nor Ancel which is a local delicacy only sold during coconut season. A// Cajuns keep this stiff to make coconut wedding cakes. What I am saying is Coconut cream is what I used.
Straight out the oven, note how puffy it is with all that baked custard, it will reduce back to normal as it cools.
Here it is, see how it fell?
This is the finished product for me, all that sweet booze folks put on top is not for me, the bread is good enough. But before desert tonight I will make a Chantilly or Baa Baa but probably a rum raisin sauce. Pop don't accept it unless it has a sauce or its hot with an appropriate ice cream on top....LOL
Cajun Bread Pudding
1C Brown Sugar
4 Large fresh eggs
2C 1/2 & 1/2 (or light cream)
1/4C Spiced Rum
8C Stale French Bread
1/2C Golden Raisins
1t Double Vanilla Extract (or fresh with seeds)
2T Real Butter
350 for about and hour then cool some before serving.
I also sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on top before baking.
Notes: if you don't have spiced rum, add Cinnamon & Nutmeg
This one I used 1C 1/2 & 1/2 and replaced the other cup with 8 ozs. Coconut cream.
I replaced the raisins with a small can of crushed pineapple, and a small handful of shredded coconut.
Papadeauxs in SanAntonio's Chef adds a baked meringue topping, Oh yeah its good.
Canned peaches are good, even a can of fruit cocktail (hide the cherries or they will destroy it lokking for 'em....LOL Anything goes. I have actually made a chocolate and maraschino cherry that was pretty good too. Possibilities are endless. You know all those bottles of distilled fruit juice on the counter, I am so looking forward to trying that after a friend turned that lightbulb over my head.
Thank for checking it out, hope you enjoyed it and get a chance to try it, soooo easy and no dirty dishes.... Ok, nearly no dirty dishes.
Sorry I took so long, but better late than never
Bread Pudding is nothing more than bread or cake cooked in a custard. I can't understand why anyone would find this daunting. I assume that bread pudding is everywhere because its a good way to use up that stale bread with basic kitchen ingredients, unless you jazz it up. Of course in Louisiana, we have French or Poboy bread, these are not the same. You usually see bread pudding made from French bread, the best is the bread with the delicious crisp crust, I think bakers call it crusty bread.
Earlier this week I made some crusty French bread. Delicious, you can eat a whole loaf when its hot. Well I did save some to make bread pudding, its actually why I made the bread.
You can NOT make bread pudding with bread that is not stale. Just not worth a flip. The bread maintains its structural integrity instead of biding. So you'll need to cut up about 8 cups to make a 9 x 13 (1 1/2 qt casserole). I don't like round because you miss those good corners on the bread pudding.
I just butter 2 or 3 slices, the cut up enough to fill the bowl, its 8 cups. Then normally set 24, but this time it was 48 hrs. Nice and hard.
Here's the rest of the ingredients. LOL..... I will put the basic recipe down below.
You throw the bread in the bowl, then add the custard mix. Now is when you contemplate what flavor you want to dazzle their taste buds with, or are just going with the old standard. The old standard, raisins are your only fruit but with todays everyday culinary experts it has progressed by leaps and bounds.
Note: Important to remember, you should allow a min of 2 hours for the custard to be absorbed, usually 4 hour is the agreed upon time. Let that custard get in and break down that bread structure. Also this is a desert bread pudding and not a savory, so you'll note the buttered dish. They can be cooked in a pan or a individuals in a muffin pan, or even some of those fancy French pans.
Todays is going to be a Pina Colada Bread pudding, remember any fresh fruit is fair game for bread pudding. Pina colada is coconut, pineapple, and rum. I reduced the cream and replaced it with coconut cream. Not coconut milk, nor Ancel which is a local delicacy only sold during coconut season. A// Cajuns keep this stiff to make coconut wedding cakes. What I am saying is Coconut cream is what I used.
Straight out the oven, note how puffy it is with all that baked custard, it will reduce back to normal as it cools.
Here it is, see how it fell?
This is the finished product for me, all that sweet booze folks put on top is not for me, the bread is good enough. But before desert tonight I will make a Chantilly or Baa Baa but probably a rum raisin sauce. Pop don't accept it unless it has a sauce or its hot with an appropriate ice cream on top....LOL
Cajun Bread Pudding
1C Brown Sugar
4 Large fresh eggs
2C 1/2 & 1/2 (or light cream)
1/4C Spiced Rum
8C Stale French Bread
1/2C Golden Raisins
1t Double Vanilla Extract (or fresh with seeds)
2T Real Butter
350 for about and hour then cool some before serving.
I also sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on top before baking.
Notes: if you don't have spiced rum, add Cinnamon & Nutmeg
This one I used 1C 1/2 & 1/2 and replaced the other cup with 8 ozs. Coconut cream.
I replaced the raisins with a small can of crushed pineapple, and a small handful of shredded coconut.
Papadeauxs in SanAntonio's Chef adds a baked meringue topping, Oh yeah its good.
Canned peaches are good, even a can of fruit cocktail (hide the cherries or they will destroy it lokking for 'em....LOL Anything goes. I have actually made a chocolate and maraschino cherry that was pretty good too. Possibilities are endless. You know all those bottles of distilled fruit juice on the counter, I am so looking forward to trying that after a friend turned that lightbulb over my head.
Thank for checking it out, hope you enjoyed it and get a chance to try it, soooo easy and no dirty dishes.... Ok, nearly no dirty dishes.
Sorry I took so long, but better late than never
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