Recipe: Bread Pudding (3 recipes)

Pretty popular after a gumbo meal....Here are three recipes

Bread Pudding
Makes 9 servings

1/4 pound unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup plus 2 Tbl. sugar
2 cans (12oz each) evaporated milk (3 cups)
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon ginger
7 slices stale white sandwich bread -- toasted

Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until creamed, about 5 minutes, pushing sides down with a rubber spatula. Add the milk eggs, vanilla, cinnamon,nutmeg, salt, cream of tartar, and ginger, beating on low speed until batter is thoroughly blended, about 3 minutes, and pushing sides down as needed.

Line bottom of an ungreased 8- x 8-inch baking pan evenly with the toasted bread, breaking it into small pieces. Pour the mixture over the bread and let sit for about 1 hour, patting down the bread that floats up occasionally.

Bake at 450-deg. F. until very well browned and the mixture shakes like a bowl of jelly when the pan is gently shaken back and forth, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about 15 minutes before serving.

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Yeola's Bread Pudding
Makes 6 servings

10 each slices stale bread
3 each eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oleo
1 cup raisins
1 cup pecan pieces
1 cup (16 oz) fruit cocktail/juice
1 cup pet milk (12 oz)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons vanilla butternut flavoring

Put everything in a large bowl and mix it up. Yeola says that she uses her hands to make sure it's well blended. Then turn into a greased 9 x 13-inch pan and bake in a 400-degree oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

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EGGNOG BREAD PUDDING
Makes 8 servings

PUDDING:
3 large Eggs
1 large Egg yolk
3/4 cup Sugar
4 tablespoons Unsalted butter -- melted
1 3/4 cups Half-and-half
3 tablespoons Brandy
2 tablespoons Pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon Freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon Salt
6 slices Dry cinnamon raisin bread -- quartered
CRANBERRY-MAPLE SAUCE:
1/3 cup Pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 1/2 cups Cranberries -- if frozen, do not th
3 tablespoons Unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons Bourbon

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F 15 minutes before baking, with the rack in the center of the oven. Butter a 6-cup souffle dish. Have a kettle of boiling water ready and a baking pan large enough to hold the souffle dish.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolk and sugar until light. Mix in the butter, the half-and-half, brandy, vanilla, nutmeg and salt. Place the bread in the souffle dish and pour the custard over it. Press the bread into the custard so it gets well soaked. Let rest 20 minutes. Put the souffle dish in the baking pan and place on the oven rack. Pour boiling water into the baking pan so it comes halfway up the sides of the souffle dish. Bake until the custard is softly set in the center, about 1 hour. Remove from the water bath. Serve warm or at room temperature with Cranberry-Maple Sauce. Once cooled, the pudding can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover with aluminum foil with several slits in it. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm, or at room temperature with Cranberry-Maple Sauce.

CRANBERRY-MAPLE SAUCE:
Bring the maple syrup and sugar to a boil in a small non-aluminum pan, then cook for 3 minutes. Add the cranberries and cook until their skins burst and they begin to pop, 6 to 8 minutes, or slightly longer if they are frozen. Cut the butter into 3 pieces. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 piece at a time, waiting until each is incorporated before adding another. Add the bourbon. Sauce can be served immediately or refrigerated for up to a week. Reheat gently and thin with 2 to 3 tablespoons water before serving.