Bread Pudding for a crowd…with a great liquor sauce
This bread pudding I make is an adaptation of a recipe from New Orleans that I have been making for 20 years. It has evolved based on what I have in my cupboard, my mood and season. This means that you can modify it too as it is really forgiving! It’s easy, perfect for a crowd and everyone loves it.
BREAD PUDDING with SAUCE (double recipe because more is better)
2 loaves day old French bread/Challah/dinner rolls - use several different kinds of bread and it’s yummy
2 quarts milk
20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) sweet butter, softened to room temperature
8 eggs
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 tablespoons vanilla
1 1/2 - 2 cups dried cherries - or whatever dried fruit sounds good
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup whiskey or rum - or any strong, bright liquor that seems to fit the occassion
Crumble the bread into a bowl. Pour the milk over it and let stand for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 12-by-18-by-3-inch baking dish (I use a lasagna pan) with 2 tablespoons of the butter
In another bowl, beat together 6 eggs, the granulated sugar and the vanilla. Stir this mixture into the bread mixture. Stir in the dried cherries.
Pour into prepared baking dish, place on the middle rack of the oven, and bake until browned and set, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
To make sauce, stir 2 sticks (1 cup) butter and confectioners’ sugar together in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until sugar is dissolved and mixture is very hot. Remove from the heat. Beat the remaining 2 eggs well and whisk it into the sugar mixture. Remove pan from base and continue beating until sauce has cooled to room temperature. Add liquor to taste.
To serve, preheat broiler. Cut pudding into squares and transfer each square to a heatproof serving dish. Spoon whiskey sauce over pudding and run under broiler until bubbling. If you want to skip this step, it still tastes great.
Yields: makes about 20 portions.
LEFTOVERS: My kids went crazy…I sliced up the leftovers and grilled them in butter like French toast. Add syrup, fresh fruit, whipped cream, whatever and it is a fantastic breakfast!
