One day as I was walking past a restaurant by me, I spied a banana bread pudding on the brunch menu. Now, after reading Bourdain's book, I am not sure, I want to eat brunch out again. Nevertheless, the idea captivated. Here was a non-traditional bread being used for making a brunch staple. Indeed, it was really cake being used. It makes in the way that American bread pudding is most often made with challah, brioche or other small crumbed, sweet and eggy bread.
Now, I liked the concept but clearly did not want to copy it. So I decided to change the base and add a few bells and whistles and call it my own. I have to caveat that I am NOT a bread pudding person. Rarely, have I come across one that is light and airy and most often I take eggs more than anything else in them. And, that is not the way I want to end the meal. Since then, I have had the fortune of indulging on a croissant pudding at the Old Ebbit Grill in DC and that was divine! I must recreate that soon. It had the perfect balance of soft and cakey with a little crunch (the croissant flakes I presume) while obviously enough egg had been added to hold it all together. It was most definitely not eggy.
Now that has become the hallmark for my attempts at making pudding. The quest to find just he right ratios. Less egg more milk yet still pudding.
I decided to play with
. Since the bread was already sweet, I did not have to use more sugar in milk mixture. Also, I used a small egg. I get eggs from the farm and they come in varying sizes in a box. I just chose the smallest of the lot. Btw, as an aside, have you ever gotten a double yolk egg? It isn't common in the industrial eggs but I hear quite an occurrence when you procure from a normal farm.
So, well, that's really it to it. I used more soakage liquid and then let is settle in overnight and then baked it to a light crumb. This one was actually light but not light enough. A good enough back up. But, I intend to keep testing more. It has become an obsession I think. oh well!
I served with delicious fresh cream and a berry coulis made from frozen mix of berries and unsweetened with any added sugars.
Meanwhile, I leave you with this recipe and a few links of interesting reads.
is what I have been yelling about all along! :)
, just because!
Cannot to lay my hands on tomatoes like
!
is my list to make, after I made my
.
Somewhat cool and
;-)
Another
opening in Grand Central. I hope they plan for proper baristas. The last one is an epic fail!
A new found
I am loving.
I really, really, want to go
. Soon.
is my spiritual guide, of sorts!
I find it hard to believe that we have grown to be
. Oh well!
Carrot Bread Pudding
{serves 4}
6 slices of
1 egg
1/4 cup brandied raisins, drained
1 cup whole milk or almond milk
1 tsp grated nutmeg
1 T raw sugar
1/2 tsp salt
To serve,
Whipped cream
Berry Coulis
1 cup thawed frozen berries
1/2 cup water
To make the coulis, bring the berries and water to a boil. Then simmer for 5 or so minutes until the sauce has thickened a little.
Arrange the slices of bread tightly in a baking dish. Warm the milk to melt the sugar. Whisk in the egg and nutmeg quickly. Fold in the raisins.
Pour the milk mixture over the cake slices. Gently press down so the crust get to soak in the liquid as well.
Refrigerate at least four hours or overnight. At this point, nearly all of the liquid should have been soaked through. If it looks a little dry, pour some milk over to moisten.
Prep the oven to 400F.
Bake the pudding for 20 minutes until the liquid is just set.
Cool for a few minutes and serve with berry coulis and cream.