Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Tags: bourbon, breads, Cajun Cuisine, Holidays, pudding

A Little Personal History:

I first tried this desert while living in New Orleans,  working on Bourbon Street. Years later, decided to make it as a Christmas desert. Came out well.

Description:

Categories:	Dessert
Servings:	8
Time:	– Preparation:   Bread Pudding – 30 minutes; Bourbon Sauce – 15 minutes – Marinade:       Bread Pudding – 30 minutes – Cooking:         Bread Pudding – 60 minutes; Bourbon Sauce – 20 minutes
Equipment:	Bread Pudding: Cutting board and knifes, measuring cups and spoons, 9″ round baking dish, 1 small bowl, 1 medium bowl, whisk, 1 large mixing bowl, wooden spoon Topping: Food processor, measuring cups and spoons Bourbon Sauce: Medium glass mixing bowl, fork, measuring cups and spoons, glass double boiler, candy thermometer, whisk, strainer
Difficulty:	Moderate

Ingredients (Bread Pudding):

• 2 loaves Raisin Cinnamon Bread
• 4 Tbs butter (½ stick), for round baking dish
• 2 Tbs brown sugar
• 8 eggs plus 2 egg whites
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 Tbs vanilla extract
• 2 Tbs Grand Marnier
• 1 lemon juiced and zested
• 1 Tbs cinnamon
• 1 cup dried cherries and raisins

Ingredients (Topping/Baking):

• 2 cups bread crumbs from crusts
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 4 Tbs cold butter (½ stick), cut into cubes
• 2 quarts water

Ingredients (Bourbon Sauce):

• 8 Tbs butter (1 stick)
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 Tbs vanilla extract
• 1 cup bourbon, divided in half

Procedure (Bread Pudding and Topping):

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Remove crusts from bread, reserve 2 cups for topping and set aside. Cut bread slices into cubes. Set aside
3. Grease round baking dish with butter. Dust with brown sugar. Set aside in refrigerator.
4. In small bowl, grate and squeeze lemon. Remove seeds. Add cinnamon, cherries and raisins to bowl.
5. In medium bowl, add milk, cream, sugar, extract and Grand Marnier. Whisk together and set aside.
6. In a large mixing bowl, separate and add pokies online two egg whites. Transfer egg yolks to small ball for bourbon sauce and set aside.
7. Break remaining eggs in large bowl. Beat eggs well.
8. Add Milk/Grand Marnier mixture and whisk together well.
9. Mix in cinnamon, lemon, dried fruit mixture.
10. Add bread cubes and stir in with wooden spoon until well coated.
11. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring often. If mixture is soupy, you may need to add additional slices of white bread (crusts removed.) The mixture should be wet but not soupy.
12. Pour into buttered round baking dish.
13. Prepare topping in a food processor. Add crusts, butter and brown sugar, pulsing until mixture is crumbly. Spread evenly over top of pudding.
14. Transfer pudding dish into larger baking dish. Add enough water to go up sides of pudding dish ¼ – ½. Cover everything with aluminum foil.
15. Bake on middle rack for 50 minutes.
16. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes or until brown on top.
17. Serve with bourbon sauce.

Procedure (Bourbon Sauce):

1. In medium glass mixing bowl, soften butter with fork. Add eggs yolks, sugar and mix together until light and fluffy.
2. Add vanilla and ½ cup bourbon. Whisk together.
3. Transfer mixture to double boiler and cook over medium high heat. Using thermometer, heat until temperature of sauce mixture reads 165° F. Whisking constantly, being careful not to curdle eggs.
4. Remove from heat and strain back into mixing bowl.
5. Whisk sauce until slightly cool, adding remaining bourbon a little at a time.
6. Transfer to serving cup with pouring spout.
7. Serve with bread pudding.

Advanced Preparation:

 

Tips, Notes, and Variations: