Guest Blog : Nori’s Bread Pudding with Vanilla Bourbon Crème Anglaise

Dear Readers,

This is my very first guest blog.  A big thank you to my contributor & friend, Nori, who was kind enough to share this recipe with us.  Hope you will try it and let us know what you think.

The first time I ever had bread pudding was at an all-you-can-eat buffet in Reno, Nevada. I was about 12 years old, and from what I recall, I was not impressed. I didn’t understand the appeal of the almost mushy texture that was occasionally interrupted by the chewiness of the raisins that were mixed in. I was convinced that I strongly disliked bread pudding from that day onward.

Fast-forward to my early 20’s, when I was in college and officially allowed to hang around the casinos for late night food with friends. One night, something strongly called me to order the bread pudding that was being offered as a special at Hash House a Go Go, and I succumbed. I think that’s one of the best 2AM decisions I’ve ever made as that marks the start of my affinity to this deliciously dense dessert. This recipe is one of the many versions I’ve created, based on some of my favorite flavors.

INGREDIENTS

Bread Pudding –

1 ½ cups 2% milk

½ cup heavy cream

¼ cup bourbon

¼ stick butter (melted) (+more for greasing pan)

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp pure maple syrup

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar (+ more for sprinkling on top)

1 pinch salt (I use Jacobsen Vanilla Bean Sea Salt)

½ tsp cardamom

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp fresh ground nutmeg

1 small loaf of day old crusty bread (I use Grand Central Piccolo Como), cut into 2-3 inch cubes

2 eggs, beaten

Vanilla Bourbon Crème Anglaise –

1 vanilla bean

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

¼ - ½ cup granulated sugar

5 egg yolks

¼ cup bourbon

PREPARATION

Bread Pudding –

·         Heat oven to 350 degrees

·         In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk, butter, vanilla, sugar and salt – stir until incorporated

·         Let cool

·         Butter a 2-quart glass baking dish

·         Add eggs and spices to cooled milk mixture and whisk

·         Slowly whisk in bourbon

·         In a large mixing bowl, pour mixture over bread and let soak for 10-15 minutes

·         Pour everything into the baking dish and sprinkle with brown sugar (I like to paint a little melted butter on the mixture before sprinkling the sugar)

·         Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until custard is set but still a little wobbly and edges of bread have browned

·         Make Crème Anglaise

Serve warm with Crème Anglaise

Vanilla Bourbon Crème Anglaise –

·       Split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a non-stick saucepan before putting in the entire pod

·      Pour in milk and cream.

·       Over medium heat, stir with a wooden spoon

·      Before the milk is brought to a simmer, whisk the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl until the mixture is fully incorporated

·      Slowly pour a little of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking to slowly warm the eggs and sugar (be very careful not to do this too quickly so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs!)

·      Slowly do this until all the warm milk is incorporated into the egg mixture

·      Slowly whisk in bourbon

·      Pour everything back into the saucepan

·      Turn the on low and continue to cook, stirring with the wooden spoon and making sure to scrape the corners of the pan

·      Keep stirring over low heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon (about 2-3 minutes)

·      Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve back into the bowl

·      Fill a larger bowl with a few inches of ice water, and set the bowl of Crème Anglaise on top of the ice bath to cool for a minute

Serve warm with bread pudding (if possible, right away—but you can store this in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat gently before serving. Make sure to place plastic wrap directly on the liquid before placing the top of the container in order to prevent a skin from solidifying on the crème anglaise)