

I love
I’ve made many bread puddings in the past, both sweet and
savory. For the dessert variety, I like to use cinnamon raisin bread and add
even more raisins and nuts. Instead of a whiskey sauce, I just top it with a
little heavy cream. Yum.
I like the savory style, also known as Italian strata,
for breakfast. I make it with bacon, onions and cheese. This dish even tastes great the next day!
Just about any bread pudding recipe can be adapted to fit
your tastes. However, this one has the added twist of being a souffle with whipped
egg whites folded into the mix after
it bakes.
When I do get time to make it, I’ll let you know what I
think. If you give the recipe a try, please share your thoughts!
Image from Urbanspoon.com
Commander’s Palace Bread Pudding Souffle
Bread Pudding:
Butter, for greasing pan and ramekins3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
3 medium eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups
1/3 cup raisins
Whiskey Sauce:
1 cup heavy cream1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup bourbon
Meringue:
9 medium egg whites, room temperature 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar
Cook's Note: New Orleans
French bread is very light and tender. If another style of bread is used that
is too dense, it will soak up all the custard and the recipe won't work.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square
baking pan. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs
until smooth, and then work in the heavy cream. Add the vanilla, stir to
combine, and then the bread cubes. Let stand so that bread soaks up custard.
Place the raisins in the greased pan. Top with the bread
mixture, which prevents the raisins from burning. Bake for approximately 25 to
30 minutes or until the pudding has a golden brown color and is firm to the
touch. If a toothpick inserted in the pudding comes out clean, it is done. The
mixture should be moist, not runny or dry. Cool to room temperature.
Make the whiskey sauce: Place cream in a small saucepan over
medium heat, and bring to a boil. Whisk cornstarch and water together, and add
to cream while whisking. Bring to a boil. Whisk and let simmer for a few
seconds, taking care not to burn the mixture on the bottom. Remove from heat.
Stir in the sugar and the bourbon. Taste to make sure the sauce has a thick
consistency, a sufficiently sweet taste, and a good bourbon flavor. Cool to
room temperature.
Make the meringue: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 6
(6-ounce) ramekins and set aside. Make certain that the bowl and whisk are
completely clean. The egg whites should be completely free of yolk, and they
will whip better if they are at room temperature. This dish needs a good, stiff
meringue. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or in a large bowl with a hand
mixer), whip egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Add the sugar
gradually, and continue whipping until shiny and thick. Test with a clean
spoon. If the whites stand up stiff, like shaving cream when you pull out the
spoon, the meringue is ready. Do not over-whip, or the whites will break down
and the souffle will not work.
In a large bowl, break half of the bread pudding into pieces using your hands or a spoon.
Gently fold in 1/4 of the meringue, being careful not to
lose the air in the whites. Add a portion of this base to each of the ramekins.
Place the remaining bread pudding in the bowl, break into pieces, and carefully
fold in the rest of the meringue. Top off the souffles with this lighter
mixture. Smooth and shape tops with a spoon into a dome over the ramekin rim.
Bake immediately for approximately 20 minutes or until
golden brown. Serve immediately. Using a spoon, at the table, poke a hole in
the top of each souffle, and pour the room temperature whiskey sauce inside the
souffle.
Also, be sure to
check out my fellow food bloggers to see what they prepared to honor Ella
Brennan:
Val - More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne - Eats Well With Others Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Claudia -A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets
Katie -Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island
Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green
Jeanette - Healthy Living
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda
Nancy - Picadillo
Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits
Claudia – Journey of An Italian Cook
Alyce – More Time at the Table
Amrita – Beetle’s Kitchen Escapades
It sure sounds delicious. I m glad you are on the mend as well.
ReplyDeleteI've never made a bread pudding and I think I have to try this one, the souffle aspect really tempts me, it must be delicious. I'm so glad you got a shot of the restaurant, it looks so grand.
ReplyDeleteI love Bread pudding. I have made it many times. It is very comforting. I usually make it for desert. You could eat it for breakfast if you like. Thanks for sharing with us.
ReplyDeleteHow intriguing that they're whipped in after baking...I'd love to try this one day. What a beautiful building that is!
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ReplyDeleteI have it bookmarked - the bread pudding is quintessential southern-delicious. Glad you are starting to feel better!
ReplyDeleteAwww Linda, I hope you feel better! I know this dish tastes absolutely delicious because I made something similar a couple of days back and I ate nearly all of it, leaving my husband sad! :D
ReplyDeleteThis sounds delicious! I love bread pudding...this seems to kick it up a notch! Very nice!
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