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Bread Pudding: Cranberry Bread Pudding w/ Whiskey Sauce

Source of Recipe

by Millie, from Sunday Suppers, posted by magnolias to recipecircus


Recipe Introduction

"AUTHOR’s NOTE: Cranberries contribute their beautiful color as well as a refreshingly lively flavor to this splendidly rich & custardy pudding. In New Orleans, where bread pudding is a specialty, it is always served w/a sweet whiskey sauce. Though one might think that a little bit of lily-gilding, the sauce does seem to tie everything together very nicely, so we’d never refuse it. The pudding is perfectly delicious without it, though. Serve this dessert after a not-too-rich winter dinner. When we were developing it, we tasted it first thing one morning & thought it would make a GREAT breakfast. Why not? "

List of Ingredients

2 tsp butter, softened
16 slices {8oz} French bread, cut ½” thick
1 C cranberries coarsely chopped
3 eggs
1 C + 2 tsp granulated sugar
2 C ½ n ½ or light cream
1 C heavy cream
2 T vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp grated orange zest
¼ C orange juice


Recipe

Use the butter to grease a shallow 2qt bake dish. Slice the bread. Coarsely chop the cranberries either w/a large knife or by pulsing them on/off in a food processor. Arrange ½ the bread in the bottom of the bake dish & scatter ½ the cranberries over the bread. Layer the rest of the bread over the cranberries & scatter the remaining cranberries over the top.

In a mix bowl, whisk the eggs w/1 C of sugar. Whisk in the ½ n ½, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest, and OJ. Pour this custard mix evenly over the bread & cranberries.

Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding & place a slightly smaller pan on the plastic wrap. Put a couple of heavy cans into the pan to weigh it down so the bread is completely immersed in the custard. Set aside to soak for 10 min’s.

Preheat oven to 350° Remove the weights & the plastic wrap & place the pudding in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for 20 min’s, then remove the dish from the oven & sprinkle the remaining 2 T of sugar over the top. Return the dish to oven & bake another 35~40min’s, or until the top is golden & slightly caramelized & the custard is set when tested w/the point of a knife about 2” out from the center.

The very center of pudding should be slightly wobbly since it will continue to cook a bit after it is removed from the oven. The pudding will have puffed up quite a bit & will sink some as it cools. Serve the pudding hot or warm, or it up to about 2hrs ahead & serve it tepid. Cut the pudding into squares or use a large spoon to scoop out ea portion. Pass Whiskey Sauce to be spooned over the pudding if desired.

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WHISKEY SAUCE:

2/3 C granulated
¼ C water
4 T butter
1 egg
4 T whiskey

Combine the sugar, water & butter in a saucepan. Simmer, stirring, until the butter is melted & the sugar is dissolved; about 2min’s.

In a bowl, beat the egg with a whisk til light & foamy; about 1 min. Gradually beat the hot sugar~butter mix into the egg, whisking constantly. Stir in the whiskey. Serve at room temp over the cranberry bread pudding.

Yield: about 1 ¼ C

NOTE: The sauce may be made ahead & stored at room temp for several hrs. If refrigerated, warm over hot water & stir well to return to correct consistency.