Northwest Wine - Online Magazine
Bon Ton Cafe's Bread Pudding
Nothing says French 'comfort food like this classic Burgundian beef stew. Red wine, cheap meat, mushrooms, carrots and onions. Dip a hunk of bread in it and go to town.
Here's what you do:
For the custard:
1) Tear bread into one inch shards.
2) Heat milk over low heat until hot, but not boiling. Split the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds and place the pod and the seeds in a saucepan with the milk and sugar. (If you're using vanilla extract add it at the very end).
3) In a bowl, combine eggs, and salt; stir well. SLOWLY pour the milk mixture into the eggs, in a thin stream, whisking CONSTANTLY. You can even pour it intermittently. If you pour it in too fast you will scramble the eggs. Strain it into a bowl and skim any foam off the surface. Gradually stir about 1/4 of the hot milk to the egg mixture and stir in. Remove the vanilla pod. Add remaining milk, stirring constantly.
For the bread pudding:
1) Preheat your oven to 340 degrees.
2) We 'pre-plump' the raisins by putting them in a ramekin or some small dish and microwaving them for a minute with some water or a little brandy, then drain.
3) Pour melted butter into bottom of 1 1/2 - 2 quart baking dish, toss the bread cubes with the melted butter and then scatter them and the raisins.
4) Pour the custard over the bread. Now place the baking dish into a larger pan, such as a roasting pan. Pour hot tap water in the larger pan until it comes at least halfway up the baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until the custard sets. The custard is set when it has a slight jiggle but is no longer fluid. The purpose of the water bath is to create gentle and uniform heating. High oven temperatures and/or lack of insulation from the water can cause the custard to curdle.
5) Cool the pudding, cube it and put in individual dessert dishes. When ready to serve, add whiskey sauce and heat under broiler for a few minutes.
For the whiskey sauce:
Cream sugar and butter and cook in a double boiler until very hot and well dissolved. Add well-beaten egg and whip very fast so egg doesn't curdle. Cool and add whiskey.
Serve whiskey sauce on the side or drizzled over the pudding.
Notes: To the custard, we sometimes add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and a 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. For the bread, you can substitute old croissants, brioche, challah or some other dense white bread. This recipe serves 8.
Source: Inspired by a recipe from Bon Ton Cafe - New Orleans, Louisiana
Wine Pairings
Classically paired with Pinot noir, you might be unconventional and try a medium bodied Merlot or Syrah
Ingredient List
Here's what you need:
1 loaf French bread. Maybe 10 - 16 ounces of bread.
1 quart milk (or half and half if your arteries are willing)
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoons vanilla extract or one vanilla bean.
1/2 - 1 cup raisins
3 tablespoons melted margarine
Whiskey Sauce
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
2 ounces bourbon, whiskey, rum or brandy
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