Bread Pudding's on the Menu!

I confess.....my true weakness is..............Bread Pudding! Miss Judy and I both launch into cartwheels whenever we taste a good bread pudding! Well, that is a slight exaggeration, but to us, it is the ULTIMATE comfort food. I would say that while she was living in The Big Easy, we had bread puddings of all kinds, rustic, fruited, with golden raisins and the sauces...oh my! Sauces range from Bourbon, Rum, Lemon Sauce, Vanilla, or Custard. Choose your preference. The secret to a truly good bread pudding is the type of bread you choose. We always select a good hearty french bread or brioche.

 I so miss Norma's in Pensacola and our beach trips when here came Miss Judy with a huge tray of Norma's bread pudding and three of her sweet, divine sauces. I will say that once we came in from the beach to the big house for lunch and finished it off with this decadent dessert, we literally "waddled" back out to the beach and promptly fell asleep!

Cherry White Chocolate Bread Pudding

1 (18-inch) baguette, cut into 1-inch slices

8 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups (8 ounces) dried cherries

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

6 large eggs

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed

1/3 cup (4 ounces) cherry jelly

 Preheat oven to 325°F. In large mixing bowl, toss together baguette slices, white chocolate, and dried cherries. Set aside. In second large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Measure out 1/4 cup of mixture into small bowl and set aside. In third large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, milk, and vanilla. Whisk egg mixture into larger bowl of sugar mixture, then pour over bread-chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Pour batter into 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup sugar mixture. Scatter butter cubes over top and bake until golden brown and just set in middle, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and spread cherry jelly evenly over top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pineapple Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

12 slices stale french bread

1 can crushed pineapple

1 cup chopped pecans

5 large eggs

2 cups whole milk

2/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup butter flavor or yellow cake mix

1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large baking pan, place bread slices, overlapping each slice. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs with sugar and cinnamon. Stir in pineapples and milk. Pour egg mixture over bread, making sure each slice is saturated. Push down bread to make sure it is well coated. Sprinkle with pecans and cake mix. Drizzle butter over top and bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. Remove from heat . Serve with Bourbon Sauce

Bourbon Sauce

1 stick butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 to 2/3 cup bourbon

1/4 cup half and half or milk

In heavy saucepan, melt butter and sugars. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir in half and half. Stir in bourbon and continue to cook for a minute. Remove from heat and let stand a minute or two before serving on bread pudding.

Estelle's Decadent Custard Bread Pudding

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 (1 pound) loaf sliced white bread, toasted

12 eggs

3 tablespoons vanilla extract
5 cups half-and-half cream

3 cups white sugar

1 pinch ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground nutmeg

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter each slice of bread on both sides. Tear buttered bread into little pieces, and put into a very large mixing bowl.  Beat eggs with vanilla, and then pour over bread. Stir in half-and-half and sugar. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the cinnamon and nutmeg over the top.  Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool. Serve hot or cold.