I just made the BEST ever bread pudding for some guests. It was (pat on the back) Amazing!
1 cup coffee reduced to 2 tablespoons (see #6)
8-10 oz. Coarsely chopped chocolate bars... I used dark and milk chocolate.
1 loaf French bread, day-old cut into apx ½ cubes (any rustic bread will do... sourdough, pugliese you know)
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar (I prefer dark)
6 large whole eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (if you have vanilla paste this is a great place to use that too)
Pinch or apx 1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
2 cups half and half
1 stick unsalted butter (1/4 pound or ½ cup)
1. If the French bread is still very soft and fresh, spread the bread cubes into a single layer on a baking sheet; bake at 400 oven until crisp but not brown.
2. Combine the granulated sugar with the brown sugar; divide the mixture in half and set aside until needed. In a large mixing bowl combine half of the sugar mixture with all of the egg, vanilla, reduced coffee (may want this to be cooled or just slightly warm don't add if hot) and salt.
3. Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat; combine the milk, half and half, butter with the remaining sugar mixture and bring to a boil. Carefully (or else you'll curdle the eggs... so go SLOW) whisk half of the milk mixture into the eggs (temper the eggs with the hot liquid) being careful not to curdle the eggs; add the remaining milk mixture and whisk to combine.
4. Pour the milk/egg mixture it over the bread cubes (they should be set in a casserole dish); let the bred mixture stand until it has soaked through to the center (note I skip this step since I like the crispy bread in the pudding). Drop chocolate pieces in just the right places.
5. Preheat oven until 375F, bake till golden brown about 35-40 minutes. The center should be slightly jiggly (like j-ello) not slosh like liquid.
6. To reduce the coffee: in a pan with a good amount of surface area (for the evaporation process to happen fast), on high heat boil the liquid until it is reduced. It is ok if you are close to 2T. I could only stand it to 3T. Remember 2T is 1/8 cup aka half of a 1/4 cup.
Once removed from oven let it stand and grate chocolate over the top so it looks pretty and once it is cooled to room temp sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar. So pretty! Serve at room temp or pop in the micro for 30 seconds and top with vanilla ice cream. Whipped cream is amazing with this.
1 cup coffee reduced to 2 tablespoons (see #6)
8-10 oz. Coarsely chopped chocolate bars... I used dark and milk chocolate.
1 loaf French bread, day-old cut into apx ½ cubes (any rustic bread will do... sourdough, pugliese you know)
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar (I prefer dark)
6 large whole eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (if you have vanilla paste this is a great place to use that too)
Pinch or apx 1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
2 cups half and half
1 stick unsalted butter (1/4 pound or ½ cup)
1. If the French bread is still very soft and fresh, spread the bread cubes into a single layer on a baking sheet; bake at 400 oven until crisp but not brown.
2. Combine the granulated sugar with the brown sugar; divide the mixture in half and set aside until needed. In a large mixing bowl combine half of the sugar mixture with all of the egg, vanilla, reduced coffee (may want this to be cooled or just slightly warm don't add if hot) and salt.
3. Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat; combine the milk, half and half, butter with the remaining sugar mixture and bring to a boil. Carefully (or else you'll curdle the eggs... so go SLOW) whisk half of the milk mixture into the eggs (temper the eggs with the hot liquid) being careful not to curdle the eggs; add the remaining milk mixture and whisk to combine.
4. Pour the milk/egg mixture it over the bread cubes (they should be set in a casserole dish); let the bred mixture stand until it has soaked through to the center (note I skip this step since I like the crispy bread in the pudding). Drop chocolate pieces in just the right places.
5. Preheat oven until 375F, bake till golden brown about 35-40 minutes. The center should be slightly jiggly (like j-ello) not slosh like liquid.
6. To reduce the coffee: in a pan with a good amount of surface area (for the evaporation process to happen fast), on high heat boil the liquid until it is reduced. It is ok if you are close to 2T. I could only stand it to 3T. Remember 2T is 1/8 cup aka half of a 1/4 cup.
Once removed from oven let it stand and grate chocolate over the top so it looks pretty and once it is cooled to room temp sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar. So pretty! Serve at room temp or pop in the micro for 30 seconds and top with vanilla ice cream. Whipped cream is amazing with this.
