7 tb Butter, unsalted; melted
1/4 c Butter, unsalted; melted
16 c French bread cubes, dry
-packed
3 Eggs
1 1/2 c Sugar
2 tb Vanilla extract
1 ts Nutmeg, grated
1 1/2 ts Cinnamon, ground
3 c Milk
3/4 c Sultanas
3/4 c Coconut, flaked
1/2 c Pecans, toasted; coarsely
-chopped
RUM SAUCE
1 c Butter, unsalted
1 1/2 c Sugar
2 Egg; beaten until frothy
1/2 c Dark rum
SOFT CREAM
1 pt Whipping cream
1/3 c Sugar, confectioners,
-sifted
1 tb Pure vanilla extract
2 tb Cognac
2 ts Frangelico Liqueur
1/4 c Dairy sour cream
Pour 7 tablespoons butter into a 13″ x 9″ baking pan; swirl it around
to coat bottom and sides. Pour excess butter and additional 1/4 cup
butter into a small bowl; set aside. Place bread cubes in buttered
baking dish; set aside. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an
electric mixer until thickened and light lemon-coloured, 3 to 4
minutes. Add vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, milk, raisins, coconut,
pecans and reserved butter; beat on low speed to combine. Pour
liquid over bread in baking dish; stir to distribute nuts, coconut
and raisins evenly. Set pan aside until bread has absorbed all of
liquid, 30 to 45 minutes. Press bread down into liquid often to cover
all cubes with liquid. Preheat oven to 350F. Bake in preheated oven
until crusty and golden brown on top, 45 to 60 minutes. While pudding
is baking, prepare Rum Sauce and Soft Cream. Cool bread pudding to
lukewarm. When bread pudding has cooled, slice into squares. Place a
spoonful of rum sauce in botttom of each serving bowl; add a square
of bread pudding. Top with a generous dollop of cream. Makes 15 to
18 servings.
TO PREPARE RUM SAUCE, using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar
mixture until light and fluffy. Put mixture in top of a double
boiler over simmering water; cook 20 minutes, whisking often. The
mixture should be silky smooth and light in colour. Whisk 2
tablespoons hot butter mixture into beaten eggs, then 2 tablespoons
more. Whisk warmed egg mixture slowly into remaining butter mixture.
Cook mixture over barely simmering water until thickened, 4 to 5
minutes, whisking constantly. Cool slightly; whisk in rum. Sauce may
be kept warm over hot water until served.
TO PREPARE SOFT CREAM, chill beaters and a medium bowl until very
cold. Place all ingredients in bowl; beat with an electric mixer on
medium- high speed until soft, loose peaks from, 3 to 4 minutes. The
cream should have a slightly runny, cloud-like consistency that
softly drapes over the bread pudding. Do not overbeat. Cover tightly
and refrigerate until served.
“I know of no dessert that gives me greater pleasure than the bread
pudding desserts I discovered during my trips to Louisiana. This
version is light and airy rather than heavy and dense. It has an
exciting combination of tastes and textures to please your mouth. It
is sinfully rich and guaranteed to please the most ardent dessert
fan. I’m sure you will enjoy this as much as I did.”
Yields
15 Servings