Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Fall is here! Even here in Orlando, Florida you can feel it! We reach our newest lows for the season; Lows of 36 degrees and highs of 65. It's been so beautiful out for the past couple days! I love the cool weather! Makes me wonder some times as to why I'm living in Florida..

I actually plan to move soon once I start attending college. I really want to go live on NY. I've always loved it up there, so why not live there? I love the city, the scenery, the people; I love so much about it. Whether I move there soon, or a few years from now, I know that I want to live there.

But anyways, a bit of topic! To celebrate the fact that fall is here, I decided to bake something that just screams autumn; pumpkin. What better than a comforting pumpkin bread pudding to celebrate with, yea? I've been holding on to this recipe that I found not to long ago, waiting for the right time to try it out. Let me tell you, it didn't disappoint.

Recipe

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

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle.

2. Whisk together pumpkin, cream, milk, sugar, eggs, yolk, salt, spices and bourbon, if using, 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.

Blackberry Rice Pudding

Pudding is one of those things that I normally only have during the Spring and the Winter. It's nice and creamy and doesn't make you feel like you had too much. Which no one really likes that feeling when it's a hundred degrees out and in a swim suit.

My favorite kind of pudding, is Rice Pudding. Rice is one of those things I grew up with and had pretty much with anything. When ever my mom would make jasmine rice or risotto, I'd ask her to leave some for me to make rice pudding with. This was one of the first rice pudding I really made when I first discovered rice pudding. It's nice and light and pretty creamy. One of my favorite puddings to have during this time of
year!

If you wanted, you could substitute the blackberries with strawberries! It really goes well with this recipe as well. It's just as great, and it's a great alternative for you strawberry lovers out there!

Recipe

6 tbsp. risotto rice, carnaroli or arborio
2 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
10.5 oz blackberries
1 tbsp. vanilla (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 cup water


1. In a small pot, dissolve 1/2 cup sugar with the water and bring to a gentle boil. Wash and dice half of the blackberries. Add them to the syrup with cinnamon and the lime juice.

2. Simmer on low heat for about fifteen minutes. Let cool.

3. In the meantime, rinse the rice under cold water. Bring the milk to a first boil. Slowly pour the rice in. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Until the rice is cooked but still al dente. Let slightly cool in a bowl.

4. When the cooked blackberries are cooked, mix them with the rice. Put into individual cups or a bowl and add the remainder blackberries.

Oatmeal Raisin Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding, in my opinion, has got to be one of the most comforting desserts ever. Aside from Ice Cream, Bread Pudding is one of my favorite desserts that I enjoy having every time. I actually never had nor heard of Bread Pudding till about 3 years ago after going out for my fathers birthday at Ruth Chris Steakhouse.

We went there to enjoy some really great steak (one of the best I've ever had, by the way. Wish I could still have some...), and I knew that I was going to get a dessert, and my dad was gonna get one to. I mean, it's his birthday. Even though he's a health consensus freak, he to likes to have a good dessert for his birthday. Who really doesn't though?

I ordered the Chocolate Lava cake, my brother order ice cream, and my father, the birthday boy, ordered New Orleans Bread Pudding. When I got my Chocolate Lava Cake, it was way to chocolaty for me. I should have expected such from a Chocolate Lava Cake. I only took one bite and had enough chocolate for the day. But, my father only finished half his dessert. So, I decided to try it. And fell in love. That when I became obsessed with Bread Pudding.

I made Oatmeal Bread the other day and had half of it left. So, I decided to make more use of it. How? By making an Oatmeal Bread Pudding. I used my Oatmeal Bread recipe for the bread, but I got the custard and sauce from Peabody here. This is a really comforting dessert, and when in need of comfort, try this! You'll be in love!

Recipe

Oatmeal Bread

Recipe Here.


Cinnamon Custard

2 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 egg yolks
4 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg


Toffee Sauce

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract


1. Make the Oatmeal Bread as in the recipe. Let cool complete.

2. In a bowl, mix together the heavy cream, egg yolks and eggs, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk together all the ingredients until completely incorporated. Set aside until needed.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut up the Oatmeal Bread into 1 inch pieces. Place half of the Oatmeal Bread pieces in a buttered 8 x 8" pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of raisins (if desired). Pour half of the custard mixture over the bread, pressing gently to allow the liquid to soak in.

4. Scatter the remaining bread evenly. Followed by another ½ cup raisins and then the last of the custard. Again, press the bread down gently to allow the custard to absorb into the bread.

5. Place bread pudding into a pan that is large enough to hold both the pan and a water bath. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the pudding pan. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove from oven carefully and serve with Toffee Sauce.

6. To make Toffee Sauce, stir brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add cream and vanilla and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes.