Bread Pudding Recipe

Bread pudding is today made with breads specially made for the pudding – it could be either fresh or stale bread (brioche, challah, croissant, panettone, French or even Italian) that is soaked in rich custard made of milk eggs, sugar, vanilla, and spices. A whole lot of other interesting things can be added - nuts, zests, candied or even fresh fruit. Bread puddings can be steamed or baked, and both make great tasting dishes. This versatile dessert can be served hot or cold and taste great accompanied by ice cream or softly whipped cream.

The recipe for the classic English Bread Pudding, in its new, low fat, easy to make incarnation, is given here:

Ingredients

12 slices whole-wheat bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups fat-free milk
4 egg whites
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp margarine, melted
1 tbsp vanilla
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
½ cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 2 quart casserole dish and set aside. Blend together the milk, egg whites, sugar, margarine, vanilla and cinnamon in large bowl. Add bread and raisins. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish. Bake 35 minutes or until well browned. Cool on wire rack. Garnish with chopped nuts, maybe pecan nuts or chopped almonds.

Another great recipe for bread pudding would be for a steamed pudding, and is classical as the baked one. Of course, this will not be as simple as just dunking the dish in the oven; steaming takes much longer and of course, and proper apparatus. In case you do not have anything else, try boiling water in a large pan, and steam the pudding in a shallow dish, covered with foil, inside the pan, with water boiling on low flame. If necessary, keep topping the water. Never let the pan dry, and also ensure that the water level does not exceed half the height of the steaming dish.

For this recipe, you will need

About 12 slices of a day old bread cut into dices.
1 cup full of chopped sultanas, candied peel and chopped pecan nuts
3 tablespoons of sugar
2 eggs
Zest and rind of one medium sized lemon
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
½ tsp of powdered cinnamon
½ tsp of powdered allspice
1 cup milk (not very cold)

Three tablespoons of sugar for the caramel.

Place the sugar for caramel in a saucepan and caramelize, that is, melt and let it cook till it forms a dark brown layer on the saucepan base. Add the milk and stir till the caramel dissolves, forming a light brown liquid with a faintly caramel fragrance.

In another bowl, mix the bread, the nuts and sultanas, chopped candied peel, lemon rind and zest, rest of the sugar and the milk with caramel and the powdered cinnamon.

Let the mixture soak in the milk thoroughly, especially if the bread is older than one day.

In a steaming mould, pour in the mixture ad cover with a foil, crimping the edges in tightly.

Steam for about two hours on a steamer and when cooked, turn out on a dish and cool.

Serve with a garnish of grated lemon rind, crushed pecan nuts and any sweet sauce (even maple syrup will be a good idea).