There are thousands of recipes for bread pudding because it’s a classic for usin’ up leftovers. I think some of the best recipes come from New Orleans, where home cooks and restaurant chefs alike treat this humble dish with great respect. That’s where I got the inspiration for ours, which is pillow soft when warm and burstin’ with plump raisins and chewy bits of coconut.
Ingredients
feeds 12
The Pudding
The Sauce
Step 1
Set the dial to 325° and get the oven heating. Cut the crusts off the bread (save them for bread crumbs), and then cut the rest into 1-inch cubes, collecting about 8 cups. If the bread isn’t day old, pop it into the heating oven for 5 to 10 minutes to dry it out a bit.
Step 2
Whisk together the milk, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs, and yolks in a large bowl. Stir in the raisins, coconut, and bread cubes. Soak for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Mix 2 tablespoons of the softened butter with the confectioners’ sugar and smear it over the bottom and sides of a 9 by 13-inch pan. Pour in the bread-and-egg mixture. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of softened butter and drizzle it over the top. Pop the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or til set in the middle and puffed and brown around the edges.
Step 4
Make the sauce while the pudding is baking. Combine the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and butter in a saucepan. Set it over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Keep your eye on it so it doesn’t boil over. Whisk constantly. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes; then stir in the rum. Keep warm. (Makes 1 3/4 cups of sauce.)
Step 5
Pull the pan out of the oven when the bread pudding is done, and let it set for 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature. Douse each serving with some warm sauce.
