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| photo by The Shiksa in the Kitchen |
So, I'm fixing dinner, Christmas Eve night, and my husband says, "What are we having for dessert?" Oh my gosh -- dessert?! How on earth did I forget dessert? (I'll tell you how: I was thinking of the waffles and cinnamon rolls we were going to be having for brunch the next day!)
Then my brilliant husband goes on to say, "How about bread pudding?"
Now, if you're not a bread pudding fan, let me tell you -- neither was I, until a couple years ago when we ordered lemon bread pudding at Carrabba's. I love anything lemon, but I'm telling you, this was heaven on a plate! Warm, sweet but with a little lemon tang, and custard-y... yum!
So a more traditional bread pudding -- simply flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, and for those who like them, raisins -- seems like the perfect Christmas dessert.
And it was!
It's quick and easy to throw together, and uses ingredients you probably already have on hand. We used this bread pudding recipe from All Recipes, and topped it with the Kahlua cream sauce recipe from The Shiksa in the Kitchen. (A plain vanilla cream sauce would be good, too. Orange or maple might be nice for a breakfast/brunch version.)
With these slight changes:
- Used a demi-loaf of French bread; fresh, not day-old.
- Used a 9x9" pan (rather than 8x8")
- Used brown sugar, not white.
- Left out the raisins.
- Added a little fresh-grated nutmeg with the cinnamon.
- Skipped the melted butter, but drizzled a little heavy cream over it (after pouring on the egg mixture, but before baking' I didn't measure, but probably about 3 Tablespoons.)
- Sprinkled some pecans on top. (Next time I'll use more and mix 'em in.)
- Baked for 35 minutes.
Mmmm... Imagine the warm, sweet aroma of vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg, with a texture I can only describe as a tender, custardy cake. If this isn't Christmas on a plate, I don't know what is! But it would be just as good at any autumn or winter dinner -- or brunch!
I might just make it again for New Year's Eve!
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