Email to Buny      

Bread Pudding: Peanut Butter Bread Pudding

Source of Recipe

www.joycesfinecooking.com


List of Ingredients

2 Pullman loaves or other square loaves of sweet bread

Custard:
4 1/2 cups whole milk
4 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 cups sugar
2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
15 egg yolks

Peanut-butter mix:
4 cups creamy peanut butter
2 cups honey
3 cups strawberry jam, divided


Recipe

To prepare bread: Remove crust of desired. Cut into 1-inch-wide slices.

To make custard: In heavy pot, combine milk, sugar and vanilla beans. Bring to a boil. Immediately remove from heat. Steep for 30 minutes. Whisk yolks until smooth. Slowly temper hot-milk mixture into eggs, whisking continuously. Immediately add cream. Place in ice bath until cool.

To make peanut-butter mix: With standing mixer or by hand, mix peanut butter and honey until homogenous. Reserve 1/2 cup of mixture.

To assemble: Line 8- by 10-inch Pyrex or metal pan with parchment paper to cover bottom. Place one-third of bread in pan. Spread half of peanut-butter mix on bread. Top with 1 cup jam. Cover with layer of bread. Repeat layers, finishing with bread layer. Press down firmly. Using knife or skewer, poke holes through top of pudding. Pour 2 cups custard over bread. Let soak for 10 minutes. Repeat until all custard has been used. Chill for a few hours or overnight.

To bake pudding: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover with lightly buttered foil. Place pudding in water bath so water reaches halfway up sides of pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until fully set. (Note: Press finger into middle of pudding; it should come away dry without any custard on it.) If pudding isn't set, bake 10 minutes longer. Check again. Remove foil. Bake for 20 minutes, or until top is brown and crunchy.

To chill: Remove from oven and water bath. Refrigerate until cool.

To serve: Run sharp knife around edges of pudding. Place pan over top of pudding. Quickly invert it. Cut into 8 slices. Invert again so crust is on top. Warm pieces in 400-degree oven for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat reserved sauce. In separate pan, heat remaining 1 cup jam. Drizzle plates with sauce and jam. Top each with warm piece of pudding. Serve immediately with dollop of whipped cream or just dash of confectioners' sugar.

Makes 4 large servings or 16 small servings.