#126_Sweet Perfection Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding....
amazingly to die for!

The original recipe is from Ina Garten
who is one of my favorite tv food network host.
In this recipe she used panettone bread.
I have her recipe for the panettone bread too but
I thought I'd just use some ensaymada since I was making some.
I also threw in a couple pieces of
cinnamon rolls that were a few days old.
The result?
amazing! luscious!
this is what happens when Ensaymada (recipe here)
meets Leche Flan (click here).....
you put them together in a dish and
it becomes a scrumptious dessert.
This pudding is exactly the way I like it...
the custard is not runny and
the bread is not soggy at all. In other word, perfect!!
and ...
if you want to make it more sinful than it already is,
serve it with vanilla ice cream on the side
or whipped cream on top.

This bread pudding so simple and so easy to make.
Better yet, if you are not up to baking the bread
just use some store-bought sweet bread
like Challah, Brioche, Italian Panettone,
or cinnamon-raisin loaf and you're ready to go.

Toasted bread cubes in a 9"x13"x2" baking pan

Place the baking pan with toasted bread cubes in a larger pan.

Leche Flan or Custard mixture.
(for Leche Flan, you can use any recipe your have)

Pour the custard mixture in to the toasted cubed bread.

Bake the pudding in bain marie

First slice for the cook!
Mmmmm you gotta try it!!

Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

for Leche Flan I used this recipe, but you can certainly use whatever recipe you like.
3 large whole eggs
8 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup white sugar (or more if prefer sweeter)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup raisins, soaked in orange juice for at least 15 minutes

6 pieces good quality ensaymada or other sweet breads (about 1 lb.loaf)

Procedure:

The bread:
1) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Cut the ensaymada (bread) in cubes and place in a baking pan.
3) Toast the cubed bread in pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned.
4) Grease a 9" x 13" x 2" baking pan and place the toasted ensaymada cubes in it.
5) Set aside.

The custard:
1) In a large bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, the cream, milk, vanilla and sugar.
2) Pour this mixture over the toasted bread cubes.
3) Drain the raisins onto a piece of paper towel then spread them on top of pudding.

Bake pudding in Bain Marie: (definition of bain marie, click here)
Here's HOW:
1) Place the baking dish with the pudding into a larger pan and slide it in the oven.
2) Add a very hot tap water to the larger pan half way up the sides of the baking dish.
3)Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil.
4) Bake the pudding in a pre-heated 350 degrees oven for 45 minutes.
5) Uncover and bake for another 25 minutes or until the custard is set and the top of pudding is golden brown.
6) Allow the pudding to set for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
7) Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTE:
To save time from washing another pan, after I toasted the cubed bread, I transferred the bread into a bowl and greased the pan with shortening and then I put back the toasted bread in.
Well, I guess it is not really a time-saver because I dirtied the bowl!

Enjoy anyway!!!

#11_ Melt In Your Mouth Dessert

There was a contest at a company I used to work for years ago where an employee who turned in the most recipes wins. I placed second! Wasn't that great or what?!! Yah, big deal! Then they made a compilation of all those recipes submitted by us and published cook books and sold them to us, employees. Wasn't that clever of them?!!
In all seriousness though, the really good thing about it, aside from me garnering second place, is that most of my former co-workers who submitted recipes were really good cooks and their recipes are worth trying. I'm glad to have the cook book after all.
This dessert is from one of the emloyees there. It realy melts in your mouth and to die for!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 12oz cool whip
2 pkgs of chocolate pudding

Procedure:

1. Combine first 3 ingredients and press into a 9'x 13" pan

2. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool

3. Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and half of the cool whip. Spread over crust

4. Mix chocolate pudding according to pie directions and spread over the cream mixture

5. Spread the rest of the cool whip over pudding mixture

6. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours

#3_ Pistachio Fruit Salad

This is really an easy fruit salad to prepare, even a child can prepare it. I always serve this during holidays but you can serve it anytime you want. Its really good!

You'll need:

2 cans ( 16 oz ea.) fruit cocktail
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple tidbits
2 boxes (3.4 oz.ea.) instant Pistachio pudding mix
1 tub (12 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed

5 bananas (or more)

How to prepare the Salad:


1. Pour the fruit juices in a bowl and stir in the pudding mix.
2. Mix the fruit cocktail and the pineapple tidbits in to the pudding mixture.
3. Fold in the cool whip
4. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 2 hours.
5. Just before serving, peel and slice up the bananas and mix it with the salad.
How easy is that

Note:
For variations, you can add miniature marshmallows (it has to be the white marshmallows. I used pink ones one time and the color was a disaster). You can also add some coconuts or chopped walnuts or pecans. You can't really go wrong with this salad.