This is probably my favorite way to make use of stale bread. You can fight me if you want, but this is 10x better than French toast. I always go thru' my library of cookbooks (looking for inspirations) and 1 English recipe that's always stuck with me is Gary Rhodes' Bread Pudding. And yes! English cuisine is very underrated.
Bread pudding actually originated in England. It is popularized throughout the world with its own spins and twists. It has evolved into what it is today. People were asking me what I do with the batter after making French toast. Well, I usually pour the batter over layered buttered bread and make bread pudding.
But today, I decided to make bread pudding from scratch without the use of any leftover French toast batter. The trick to making great bread pudding is allowing the bread to soak up all the custard so that it will stay moist during the baking process. Crispy on the outside, moist soft custardy on the inside. Perfect!
Ingredients:
Inspired by Gary Rhodes
(Serve 2)
Stale Bread (I'm using wholemeal sandwich bread), 6 Slices
High Quality Salted Butter, For Spreading + More For Greasing
Any Dried Fruits (I'm using dried currants), 15g or More
Buttermilk, 300g
Egg Yolks, 70g
Granulated Sugar, 75g + More For Flambé
Brandy / Rum, 2 TBSP (Optional)
Equipment:
Baking Dish (I'm using an 8" rectangular dish)
Oven
Sauce Pot
Blowtorch
Directions:
Grease a baking dish with butter.
Spread butter onto the stale bread.
Lay the bread into the baking dish.
*It is okay if the bread is overlapping. You can also slice off the crusts. You can slice your bread into triangles, if desired, as well.*
Sprinkle some dried fruits onto the bead before topping another layer of bread.
Leave the top layer of bread empty without any dried fruits.
Set aside.
In a sauce pot over medium heat, add buttermilk.
Bring it up to a simmer.
While the buttermilk is cooking, whisk yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale yellowish.
Once the buttermilk starts to simmer, gradually pour the milk into the yolk mixture, 1/4 portion at a time, while still whisking.
*Do not add the milk in too quickly or the yolks will scramble.*
Once everything has fully incorporated, transfer onto a double boiler.
Whisk until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
Immediately set the custard aside to cool down a bit for about 15 mins.
Ladle the custard onto the bread filling the baking dish fully.
*If you still have some custard left, sit the bread pudding on the counter for 1 hr, ladle the custard over the bread pudding again.*
The custard should be enuff for 6 slices of bread.
Sit at room temperature for 2 hrs.
Chill in the fridge overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 120 degree celsius or 250 fahrenheit.
Place the baking into a baking tray.
Wack into the oven and fill the baking tray with hot water.
Bake for 20 to 30 mins or until the sides are slightly crispy browned but the center is still wobbly.
*I like to flambé with some liqueur over the top of the bread pudding. It is optional.*
But the caramelized sugar is a must.
Dust the top of the bread pudding with sugar.
Caramelize the sugar with a blow torch.
You can put it under the broiler, but the bread pudding might not be as custardy.
Spoon the bread pudding onto serving plates.
Pour any leftover custard (from the baking dish) on the sides.
Garnish with more dried fruits.
Serve immediately.
The inside is still custardy...
Cwispy, soft, custardy...
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