Dan's Delicious Easy Microwave Bread Pudding
Rec.food.cooking/Dan Schwarcz (1995)

Either cut the bread into cubes and let it sit out overnight to dry out a bit, or use slightly old bread, or slice the fresh bread and bake it at about 150 or 200 for about a half-hour. You want to dry it out somewhat, but not toast it, then break it into cubes or pieces.

Really dry bread can be used too, but add more milk and soak longer to compensate.

This recipe is based on a recipe I found for a "bread pudding for one", which used 1 cup bread cubes, 1/2 cup milk, one egg, 2 tbsp sugar. I just multiplied by four and changed it slightly, but if you want to make a larger or smaller amount, just divide my quantities by four and then multiply the result by the number of servings you want.

So, here goes:

4 cups slightly dry bread cubes or pieces (including crust) (Challah is good)
2 cups milk
4 eggs
8 tablespoons sugar (I usually add one more)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (I usually add a tiny pinch extra)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (again, I usually overfill the spoon by a bit.)
1/2 cup raisins (If you add more raisins, add a little more milk as well)
1 teaspoon Butter Buds [OPTIONAL] (the original recipe called for four tablespoons butter drizzled on the bread - seems like a lot of unnecessary calories to me, and I can't taste the difference if I leave it out altogether. The Butter Buds are an optional alternative to leaving it out, but as I say I can't taste any difference, really.)

Beat the eggs.

Mix the milk with the sugar, nutmeg, vanilla, raisins and (optional) butter buds; when well mixed stir in the beaten eggs and mix until smooth.

Pour liquid over the bread in a Pyrex bowl. Stir to coat all the pieces.

Let it sit for about an hour or so, until the bread is all soft and has absorbed lots of moisture. I stir it occasionally to bring any hard pieces on top under the surface of the liquid.

By now the bowl should contain fairly soggy bread pieces, some broken, and an excess of liquid as well. If it seems too dry, add a little more milk.

Put in a microwave oven and cook for 1 1/2 minutes on HIGH. When it's finished, stir well and cook another 1 minute, then stir, cook 1 minute, stir, cook 1 minute. It may take 5 or 6 minutes this way for the custard to set and the pudding to solidify. I find that stirring the pudding every minute or so gives a better texture. (If you have a very small microwave oven, 500 watts or so, then stir every 1 1/2 minutes instead.)

Let cool uncovered, then refrigerate. It should be soft and the consistency of a light pudding, not lumpy.

It's great by itself, even better served with a tablespoon or so of syrup:

Bread Pudding Syrup:
Makes about 3/4 cup

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 1-inch strips orange zest (the orange, outer part of an orange peel)
1/4 cup Calvados or apple brandy or other sweet, clear liqueur

Mix sugar, water and zest in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover partially, and cook until the mixture is syrupy. Let cool slightly, then remove the zest and add the booze. Mix well.

I put this syrup in a Rubbermaid [TM] serving container and keep it in the refrigerator; one recipe made enough for a *lot* of bread puddings, since I only use (at most!) a tablespoon at a time.

Even with having to stir the pudding 5 times, this recipe is extremely easy and fast. Enjoy it!