Monday, September 6, 2010

New Orleans Bread Pudding

What a busy holiday weekend we had, including a wedding and a birthday party. With all the advance preparations, it was a whirlwind of activity for several days. Everything worked out beautifully and the weather couldn't have been more perfect--cloudless bright blue skies, low humidity, moderate temperatures.

For one of our desserts, though not for the wedding or birthday party, I made a bread pudding which is always popular in my family. I like making bread pudding because it utilizes leftover bread which I always seem to have on hand.

Ordinarily, I would have used raisins, which would have been more authentic, in this New Orleans style bread pudding, but I had at least one family member coming for dinner who does not enjoy raisins. So I used dark chocolate chips instead! And who doesn't like chocolate?

New Orleans Bread Pudding
1 loaf stale French bread
2 cups milk
1 cup raisins or chocolate chips
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 - 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar

Tear the bread into small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Cover with the milk and let it soak for 20 minutes. Mash the bread to a consistent texture with no chunks. Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Pour into a buttered 9 inch square baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven, until browned on top and set in the center.

Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream.

5 comments:

  1. You had me at Bread Pudding! This is one of my all-time favorite desserts that I don't nearly make often enough. Looks delicious and I love the addition of the chocolate chips :o)

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  2. Mmmmm bread pudding. Love it! Funny as a kid I never thought of it as a way to get rid of bread, yet that is a frequent reference to bread pudding. It IS a good use of bread, but it seems much better than that.

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  3. Hm, I have to say I think the chips would be better than raisins. Heh. Looks great!

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  5. No excuse ever needed to use more chocolate in recipes! I am sure your bread pudding tasted richer and was more satisfying thanks to the chocolate.

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