Biltmore Bread Pudding

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This humble pudding comes from the kitchens of the Biltmore, a lavish estate built during the Gilded Age, for the family of George Vanderbilt. The Gilded Age was a period during which the wealth of the robber barons grew astronomically, while immigrants, who made the expansion of their wealth possible, were mired in poverty. Mark Twain named the period in a satire exposing social problems he believed were disguised by the thin gold gilding of philanthropy. While I know the pudding is currently served at the Biltmore, I can't help but wonder if anything this homely was actually prepared for the Vanderbilts while they were in residence. It would be a shame if they missed it. This rich version is exceptionally good, and if you enjoy bread pudding I think you will love the Biltmore pudding. It is simple to make, and while it can be made with brioche, I usually use stale bread that I have lying around the kitchen. I like pudding with texture, so I leave the crusts on my bread cubes, but if you want a moister concoction, they can of course be removed. Eggs and butter and cream are used with abandon, so this definitely is not a dish for weight watchers or those with peckish appetites. It is a nearly foolproof dessert, and as long as you make sure the pudding is done, you can't go wrong. More importantly, you won't be sorry you gave it a try. Here is how this super-good pudding is made.

Blueberry Bread Pudding with Spiced Blueberry Sauce

      

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Oregon is one of 21 states that still allow the sale of fireworks. The tents in which they are sold went up this weekend and that's a sure sign that the 4th of July is on its way. Their appearance also triggers a wash of memories of those times, when I, if not the world, was young. It's fair to say I have a special fondness for this holiday. It's probably born of time and place, but Independence Day, especially as it was celebrated in my childhood, has permanently reserved a spot in my recollections of how things were and probably should be. Forgotten are the wants a country at war could not provide, but remembered keenly are the festivities that were planned to make the day special. They began with a bicycle parade that roped its way through the streets of our community. We spent the prior day  festooning bikes and trikes with reams of streamers, each of us sure that our creation would win the coveted watermelon award. I suspect, in retrospect, they all looked pretty much the same, but somehow the judges always found a best of show and one "lucky duck" got to wear the crown for the day. While we'd check in for lunch, kids were pretty much left on their own and we swarmed through the neighborhood in packs, looking for things to make or do. We spent hours under the sprinkler, and, back then, punks, which the grown-ups used to light fireworks, were a big thing. We'd pretend to smoke them and use them to light something we called snakes. Snakes were small disks that would expand and crawl along the pavement when they were lit. They left smudgy stains on the pavement that would be visible for weeks after the holiday had passed and I've often wondered what archeologists would think if they came across those tracks eons later. Towards dusk the neighbors would gather for a communal picnic and stake out spots for the evening's fireworks. Barbecue had not yet captured the imagination of the nation, but there was fried chicken with all the fixin's and enough iced tea to float a battle ship. There was a pie-eating contest and watermelon galore. I must admit there were also seed-spitting contests and I was the proud winner of more than  a few. The capstone of the day was, of course, the fireworks display, but what I most fondly remember were the sparklers that we got to light and hold before the show began. I had a runaway imagination and I was sure that this was how space looked when a new star was born. Astronomers needed telescopes to see what I held in my hand. The wonder and sweetness of it all!

Now, it is impossible to have an Independence Day celebration without blueberries. By now everyone knows that on the 4th of July blueberries are more American than apple pie. I have dozens of recipes that use them and I am always on the lookout for one more. I found another last week on the Driscoll's Berry website. It is a keeper of the first magnitude and one that I am happy to share with you. The recipe is straight forward and the bread pudding is absolutely delicious, with or without the sauce. I hope you'll give this recipe a try. I promise you will not regret it. Here's how the pudding is made.

Blueberry Bread Pudding with Spiced Blueberry Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Driscoll's Berries

Ingredients:
Bread Pudding
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1 loaf Italian bread (1 pound)
6 large eggs
5 cups whole milk
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups blueberries
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
Spiced Blueberry Sauce
2 cups blueberries, divided
1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
3/4 cups water

Directions for Bread Pudding:
1)  Butter six individual 8-ounce ramekins with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside.
2)  Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice bread into 1/2-inch slides and place on a cookie sheet. Toast 10 minutes, turning bread slices over once. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and place in a large bowl.
3)  Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter and drizzle over cubes, toss until evenly coated, set aside.
4)  Whisk eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread cubes and stir until evenly moistened. Stir in blueberries. Spoon mixture into ramekins. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
5)  Place ramekins in a large roasting pan. Add boiling water to halfway up sides of ramekins.
Bake 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. (Cover with foil if browning too quickly during baking.) Cool slightly. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with warm Spiced Blueberry Sauce, if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

Directions for Spiced Blueberry Sauce:
1)  Purée 1 cup blueberries in a food processor or blender until smooth.
2)  Stir sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and cardamom in a small saucepan until blended. Add blueberry puree and water.Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat stir in remaining blueberries and lemon juice. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

One Year Ago Today: Lemon-Glazed Blueberry Cake

Two Years Ago Today: Rhubarb Custard Pie

Three years Ago Today: Deviled Eggs with Curry and Cilantro

Four Years Ago Today: Buttermilk Tarts

President's Day - Martha Washington's Cherry Bread and Butter Pudding

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our lovely, near-springlike, weather went off track again today. The sun never pierced its cloud cover and the temperature stubbornly refused to climb above 50 degrees. A smattering of showers convinced me to spend the day inside, but an unplanned gathering lured me, instead, to a New Year's lunch at out favorite campus hideaway, the Maple Garden. The place is always packed but it has never found favor with local food critics. To say it lacks atmosphere is an understatement. The tile floor is worn and patched and the Formica tables, which are communal, have, themselves, seen better days. The noise level can be impossible on busy days and residual heat from the very small kitchen, manned by two equally small chefs, is the only source of warmth in winter months. While the place does not have universal appeal, it is packed with Asian students who have no problem bussing their own tables and wearing coats as they eat. It's the home-style cooking that draws them in. This is not fancy restaurant fare, but it's the kind of food they've grown up with and it is cheap. And for those of us who carry on a love affair with Asia, it is a pleasant reminder of meals had on street corners and cubbies off the beaten tourist track. At any rate, our crew descended on the place this afternoon to sample special dishes they make for Chinese New year, particularly a lamb hot pot and a steamed river fish that had been recommended to us. The food and company made for a wonderful lunch, but put me in a time crunch for tonight's post. I had planned to make a Martha Washington cake as a special feature for President's Day, but I couldn't beat the clock, so I decided to make her simple bread pudding instead. This is a moist pudding that those of you who like custard will enjoy. I use a bread with a tight crumb when I make this, and while I've used cherry preserves for obvious reasons, any type of fruit preserve could be substituted. This is a fast, easy and inexpensive dish that you might want to make for President's Day. Here's how it is made.

Martha Washington's Cherry Bread and Butter Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Capital Feasts by Niki Witty

Ingredients:
12 slices white bread
Butter
Cinnamon
10-oz. cherry preserves
4 eggs
2 and 2/3 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons of sugar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray an 8 x 8 x 2-in pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2) Cut crusts from bread. Spread butter on one side of each slice. Arrange four slices of bread in bottom of dish and sprinkle each lightly with cinnamon. Spread a spoonful of cherry preserves on each slice. Repeat, making two more layers.
3) Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Add milk, almond extract and sugar and stir until well mixed. Pour over bread and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until top is a lovely golden brown and the custard is set. Serve warm from the oven. (Can be served cold also, if preferred). Yield: 6 servings.







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Three Years Ago Today: Shrimp Cakes with Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This, quite simply said, is a wonderful family dessert. The bread cubes used to make the pudding project above the pumpkin custard, so the finished dessert has a rough cobbled appearance that might be off-putting to some. I hope you'll close your eyes and give this strange looking treat a try. It really would be a shame to miss this wonderfully flavorful fall dessert. Those projecting bread cubes are like soft spicy pillows and once you've tasted them it will be hard to leave them be. I found myself picking off one or two cubes each time I passed the finished pudding. Fortunately, dinner was served before I denuded our dessert. The recipe originally appeared in Gourmet magazine and, while the pudding  lacks eye appeal, it is delicious and will appeal to young and old alike. It is best served warm and begs to be topped with a small scoop of ice cream. I hope you'll give this homely gem a try. Here's how the pudding is made.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gourmet magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream (light cream or whole milk may be substituted)
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
5 cups cubed (1-inch) day-old baguette or crusty bread
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
1) Place rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Whisk together cream, pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, yolk, salt, and spices in a bowl.
3) Toss bread cubes with butter in another bowl, then add pumpkin mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and bake until custard is set, 25 to 30 minutes. Yield: 6 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Soul Cakes for All Hollow's Eve

Two Years Ago Today: Chocolate-Peanut Crinkles

Three Years Ago Today: Bread of the Dead - Pan de Muerto

Summer Pudding

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've made this dessert for years, in forms both plain and fancy. I first had the pudding as a child when it was prepared by a Swedish neighbor for a Midsummer's Eve celebration. I developed a fancy for its tart berry sweetness and it was one of the first desserts I made as a bride. Once I had my own kitchen, I turned to recipes that had been develop by British food writers. I suspect I was working on the theory that no one knows puddings better than the Brits, and if I wanted the very best recipe for summer pudding, I'd most likely find it tucked somewhere within their collective writings. So, in flights of fancy, I moved across the pond and dallied with the likes of Nigel Slater and Nigella Lawson, who curiously enough, led me back to the Hamptons and the kitchen of Ina Garten, where I finally found the pudding of my dreams. On a more practical note, as you glance  through the recipe you'll notice that no provision is made for greasing the pudding mold. That's because it is not necessary. If you have weighted the pudding and let it chill overnight, it will release once it is freed from the sides of the mold with a knife. I've also come to the conclusion that the bread you use for the pudding is not as important as many would lead you to believe. Brioche or challah are both wonderful, but a good quality sandwich bread works well too. The colors of this pudding, especially when it is served with a mound of whipped cream, make it a perfect dessert for an upscale the 4th of July celebration. I do hope you'll try this recipe. Those of you who like barely sweet and seasonal treats will be in heaven. Here's Ina's recipe.

Summer Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ina Garten

Ingredients:

Pudding

1 pint strawberries, cored and sliced
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 cups ( 3 1/2-pint containers) fresh raspberries, plus additional for garnish
1 pint blueberries, plus additional for garnish
2 tablespoons framboise (or other raspberry liqueur)
1 to 1-1/2 pounds brioche or other egg bread
Topping
1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream, cold
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon dark rum

Directions:
1) Combine strawberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a large (6- to 8-quart) saucepan and cook uncovered over medium-low heat 5 minutes. Add 2 cups raspberries and all blueberries and cook 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture simmers. Continue cooking 1 minute. Remove from heat and add remaining raspberries and framboise.
2) Slice bread into 1/2-inch-thick slices and remove crusts. Ladle about 1/2 cup cooked berry mixture into bottom of soufflé dish (approximately 7-1/2 inches across by 3 inches high). Arrange one layer of bread slices side by side in a circular pattern (this will become the top when pudding is unmolded). Add more berry mixture to saturate. Continue adding bread, slicing to fit mold, and berry mixture. Finish with bread, and top with any remaining berry mixture.
3) Cover pudding loosely with plastic wrap and place a plate (with approximately the same diameter as inside of mold) on top. Weight with a heavy can and refrigerate. Remove weight after 6 to 8 hours. Continue to refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days. Yield: 8 servings.
4) Just before serving, whip cream in a small bowl until it starts to thicken. Add sugar, vanilla and rum. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form.
5) To serve: Run a knife around outside of pudding; unmold onto a serving plate. Garnish with fresh fruit. Serve in wedges with whipped cream. yield: 8 servings.

One Year Ago Today. Martha Stewart's Spaghetti 101

Two Years Ago Today: Strawberry Souffle

Three Years Ago Today: Chicken Wellington

Baked Indian Pudding

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite... I suspect I'm about to make a fool of myself. Despite that, I'll continue on, sure in the knowledge that I am in the company of good friends who won't judge me too harshly. Here's the deal. Last weekend, I was blog browsing and found a recipe for (American) Indian pudding on a site I like and trust. It looked delicious and as I read through the ingredient list I realized, that despite my years in the kitchen, I had never made or tasted this dessert. It was a perfect weekend to give it a try. Which I did. The thing is, I don't know if my pudding was a triumph or a tragedy. I know it was delicious and redolent with spices, but its texture was not what I anticipated and I suspect that this was my bad. I searched the internet trying to find a blurb that described the texture of the finished pudding. If one exists, I couldn't find it, so here comes the part where I make a fool of myself. Despite 3 hours of cooking and an hour of rest, my pudding was like a soft polenta that had a very thin crust. It certainly didn't look like any of the photos I found while surfing the net. I thought it was to runny to serve, but rather than toss it out, I decided to see what would happen when it was chilled. Several hours later, I pulled it from the refrigerator and the once polenta-like mass had set and now held its shape. It looked a bit like bread pudding. I quickly warmed a serving, topped it with a scoop of ice cream and had a taste. It was delicious. Its appearance left much to be desired, but the combination was lovely and the dish had wonderful flavor. My problem is that I have unresolved issues with its texture and appearance. I hope a few of my Yankee readers will bring me up to speed. Should the pudding be loose or firm? This is a dessert that did not move westward with the pioneers and we, out here in the diaspora, are clueless. Your input would be appreciated. At any rate, here's the recipe I used to make the pudding.

Baked Indian Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Yankee Magazine and Linda Thompson

Ingredients:
4 cups milk
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon each of ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup cream

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a sauce pan, bring 3 cups of the milk to a boil. Mix 1 cup of cold milk with the cornmeal and stir slowly into the hot milk. Cook on low for 20 minutes, stirring often.
2) Add butter, sugar and molasses. Remove from heat. Add salt and spices. Beat eggs in a small bowl. Gradually add 1 cup hot liquid to eggs, stirring constantly. Stir tempered eggs into cornmeal mixture. Pour into a 1-1/2 quart baking dish and bake for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes during the first hour. After 1 hour, pour cream over top of pudding but do not stir. Continue cooking until top is set, 1 to 1-1/2 hours longer. Served warm topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Cook's Note: I used light molasses and golden brown sugar to make this pudding. The color, I'm sure, is better with a full-bodied molasses and dark brown sugar. Those flavors, however, are too strong for my palate. If you are watching calories or fat grams, milk or light cream can be used in place of the heavy cream.








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Two Years Ago Today: Cranberry Bread Pudding with Orange Hard Sauce

Strawberry Bread Pudding - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I know it's summer, and I know that 2010 has been declared The Year of the Pastry Chef. I'm okay with all that. It's not my intent to buck culinary trends, or the calendar for that matter. I know that sensible people don't make bread pudding in July and I suspect that most pastry chefs and food snobs feel this homely dish is not worthy of their attention. They're dead wrong. The Marquess de Queensbury Rules of the Kitchen clearly state that any dish, however homely, can be made at any time of year. The only condition attached to its execution is that the dish must be delicious. A stale loaf of bread and a glut of fresh field strawberries were my inspiration. My muse led me to a site called The Daily Loaf - The CL Cookbook where I found a recipe for strawberry bread pudding. I made a few minor changes to the recipe, put it in the oven and 40 minutes later had a wonderful dessert. The original recipe uses a caramel sauce for garnish. I thought that to be at odds with the strawberries, so I served ours with French vanilla ice cream. I really loved this and will use frozen berries to make it in the winter as well. I hope you'll try this simple dessert. It is wonderful. Here's the recipe.

Strawberry Bread Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by the Daily Loaf

Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/4 cup golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounces crusty stale bread, torn or cut in bite-size pieces
2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries, sliced

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 x 8 x-2-inch pan. Set aside.
2) Combine eggs, milk, sugar (white and brown, vanilla extract, spices and salt in a small bowl. Whisk until blended.
3) Place bread pieces into a large bowl. Pour milk mixture over bread and toss to combine. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow milk to be absorbed into bread.
4) Fold in strawberries and pour mixture into baking dish.
5) Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until raised and puffy. Insert a toothpick into center and if it comes out fairly clean, it’s done. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup of brown sugar

Directions:
1) Put butter in a small pan or sauce pan over medium heat and let it melt.
2) Add brown sugar and stir until it’s combined. Lower heat. Stirring constantly, let sauce slightly simmer until sugar is completely dissolved and it is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Serve drizzled over warm bread pudding.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Cranberry Bread Pudding - One Perfect Bite
Chocolate Bread Pudding - One Perfect Bite
Chocolate Bread Pudding - Beyond Salmon
Bread Pudding - Simply Recipes
Summer Pudding - David Lebovitz
Bread Pudding with Kahlua Sauce - Ravenous Couple
Nutella Bread Pudding - Su Good Sweets

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Cranberry Bread Pudding with Orange Hard Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm probably a member of the last generation raised in kitchens where nothing was wasted, including stale bread and leftover rice. Rice and bread puddings were fixtures of my childhood. Bread pudding, both sweet and savory, has a long history in the annals of cooking. It can be traced to peasant kitchens where frugal and often hungry cooks refused to discard stale bread. The earliest recipe for bread pudding can be traced to a book called "The Art of Cookery, Made Plain and Easy" by Hannah Glasse. It was published in 1747. Her recipe, save for instructions written in old English, is quite similar to those in use today. She adds butter, eggs and milk to stale bread and steams (boils) her pudding to completion. I prefer to bake mine.

I have a sentimental attachment to Cranberry Bread Pudding. It is, of course, delicious, but it's also one of the first recipes I entered into amateur recipe competition. It didn't embarrass me and it's stood the test of time. I make this at least once during the holiday season. The original recipe used croissants. I urge you to use these if possible. The pudding shown in today's post was made with a raisin sweet bread because that is what I had on hand. Pumpkin pie spice is used to keep the number of ingredients used in the recipe under control. That's important in competition recipes, but less so in the confines of your own kitchen. I'm inserting a list of spices within the recipe that can be used in case you don't keep pumpkin pie spice in your pantry. This pudding is packed with down-home flavor and it's a wonderful addition to the holiday dessert table. The hard sauce is to die for - really! Here's the recipe.

Cranberry Bread Pudding with Orange Hard Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Pudding:
14 ounces (approximately 7 large) stale croissants, cut into 1-inch cubes and lightly toasted
1 cup dried, sweetened cranberries
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice or
. 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
. 3/4 teaspoons ground ginger
. 3/8 teaspoons allspice or ground cloves
. 3/8 teaspoons nutmeg
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Topping:
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or
.1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
.1/4 teaspoon ginger
.1/8 teaspoon allspice or ground cloves
.1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Orange Sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 2 1/2-quart (9x11 x3-inch) baking dish.
2) Arrange half of croissants pieces on bottom of prepared dish; sprinkle with cranberries, then cover with remaining croissants. Set aside.
3) Combine eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 cup brown sugar, melted butter, salt, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, orange zest and juice in a blender container; pulse until well combined. Pour mixture over cubed croissants, pressing down with back of large spoon to moisten. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
4) To make topping, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl; sprinkle on top of croissant mixture.
5) Place dish in a large roasting pan; transfer pan to middle shelf of the oven. Pour hot water into roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of dish. Bake until the custard is softly set, about 55 minutes.
6) While pudding bakes, prepare Orange Sauce: Combine butter, 1 cup brown sugar, flour, salt, water, zest, juice and vanilla in a heavy 2-quart saucepan; cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and looks syrupy.
7) Allow pudding to cool about 20 minutes before serving. Pass the sauce separately in a sauce boat. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.