SWEET POTATO AND PINEAPPLE PUDDING
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
2 cans (8 oz.) crushed pineapple in unsweetened juice, undrained
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 1/4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
6 T. margarine or butter, cut in cubes
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
Lightly grease Crock Pot. In Crock Pot, combine sweet potatoes, pineapple, evaporated milk, brown sugar, margarine, eggs, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or on High 4 hours, stirring every 2 hours until the potatoes are tender. Serve hot or at room temperature.
NOTE: This dish may appear to be curdling, however it will come together toward the end of the cooking.
Serve 10 - 12. (This was for the 5 quart model).
SLOW-COOKED CORN PUDDING
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
1 16 oz can cream-style corn
4 large eggs
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Saute onion and green pepper until slightly softened; add tomato and saute for 1 minute more.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, creamed corn and seasonings; add the sauteed vegetables. Lightly grease a 3 1/2 quart Crock Pot (or a souffle dish which fits in a larger Crock Pot) and pour the mixture in. Cook on high 2 1/2 to 3 hours; add grated cheese to the top and cook until cheese is melted.
RICE PUDDING WITH FRUIT
1/2 gallon milk*
1 cup uncooked rice
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cold margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried apricots or peaches, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*Use half nonfat and half whole milk or all nonfat for lower fat content. Can substitute evaporated milk for a very rich flavor.
The cooking time will vary greatly, anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will be. It is important to have the dried apricots minced. Put all ingredients into the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Stir to blend well. Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours; stir once after about an hour. Or, cook on high for the first 30
minutes, turn to low and cook as long as desired. Check after the first 2 hours of low cooking and stir. If the rice is not absorbing the milk quickly enough, turn the slow cooker/Crock Pot up to high again. Keep cover on at all times.
Slow Cooker temperatures vary widely among different brands. Only experimentation can tell you the correct amount of time for cooking in your slow cooker/Crock Pot. Rarely will a slow cooker/Crock Pot recipe fail, though, as the long, slow cooking process does not require precise timing.
Serves 8.
RICE PUDDING
* 2 1/2 c. cooked rice
* 1 1/2 c. scalded milk
* 2/3 c. white or brown sugar
* 3 eggs, beaten
* 1 tsp. salt
* 2 tbsp. vanilla
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1 tsp. nutmeg
* 1/2 c. raisins
* 3 tbsp. soft butter
Combine all ingredients. Pour into lightly greased Crock Pot. Cook on high 1 to 2 hours. Stir during first 30 minutes. Recipe can be doubled.
PUDDING CAKE
1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Coarsely chopped pecans, or walnuts
1/4 cup Unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Milk
1/4 cup Oil
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 cup Boiling water
1/2 cup Chocolate syrup
Whipped cream or ice cream
Mix together first 6 ingredients in 6-cup mold. Stir in milk, oil and vanilla. Mix boiling water and chocolate syrup. Pour over batter . Place small trivet or band from canning jar in bottom of cooker , add 2 cups warm water . Place mold in cooker and cover with 4 layers of paper towels. Cover cooker and cook on high 3 to 4 hours. Serve warm with cream.
INDIAN PUDDING
* 3 c. milk
* 1/2 c. cornmeal
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 3 eggs
* 1/4 c. light brown sugar
* 1/3 c. molasses
* 2 tbsp. butter
* 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp. allspice
* 1/2 tsp. ginger
Lightly grease crockpot. Preheat on high for 20 minutes. Meanwhile bring milk, cornmeal and salt to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Cover and simmer an additional 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Gradually beat in hot cornmeal mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour into crock and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours.
HOME-STYLE BREAD PUDDING
2 Eggs, slightly beaten
2 1/4 cups Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 cups 1-inch bread cubes
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup Raisins or chopped dates
In medium mixing bowl, combine eggs with milk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, bread, sugar, and raisins or dates. Pour into 1 1/2-quart baking or souffle dish. Place metal trivet (or aluminum foil shaped
in a ring to keep the dish off the bottom of the pot) or rack in bottom of slow cooker/Crock Pot.
Add 1/2 cup hot water. Set baking dish on trivet. Cover pot; cook on high for about 2 hours. Serve pudding warm or cool.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
CROCKPOT CORN PUDDING
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup sugar
8 1/2 oz package corn bread mix
16 oz can cream style corn
2 1/3 cups frozen sweet corn
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Lightly grease CP. In a bowl, blend cream cheese, eggs and sugar. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into CP. Cover and cook on High 3 to 4 hours.
Serves 10 to 12
INSTANT PUDDING CAKE
1 pkg. white cake mix
1 pkg. instant lemon pudding
4 eggs
1/2 c. cooking oil
1 c. cold water
1/2 tsp. lemon flavoring or vanilla
Put all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with electric mixer for about 3 to 4 minutes. When well blended, pour into large greased and lined tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Check at the end of 50 minutes with a cake tester. You can ice this cake with a light lemon frosting, but we like it plain.
CARROT PUDDING
* 4 large carrots, cooked and grated
* 1 small onion, grated
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 cup milk
* 3 eggs, beaten
Mix together carrots, onion, salt, nutmeg, sugar, milk, and eggs. Pour into slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours.
BERRY PUDDING
3 c. fresh or frozen unsweetened berries
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
Sugar substitute to equal 1 c. sugar
Combine 1 cup berries, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and water in saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add vanilla or almond extract, remaining 2 cups berries, and sugar substitute; mix well. Cool and serve.
6 servings.
Amount 1/2 cup.
Exchange: 1 fruit.
DIET PUMPKIN PUDDING
1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin
2 c. skim milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon, or more
Dash of salt (1/8 tsp.)
1 tsp. vanilla
4 to 5 pkg. Equal to taste
Blend all ingredients. Pour into a casserole bowl. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake another 40 to 45 minutes.
APPLE PUDDING CAKE
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* 2 cups flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon nutmeg
* 2 cups unpeeled apple, finely chopped
* 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
Beat sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add apple with dry ingredients and mix well. Spray a two pound tin can with cooking spray or grease and flour it well. Pour batter into can, filling no more than 2/3 full. Place can in Crock Pot. Do not add water. Cover but leave cover ajar so steam can escape. Cook on high 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Don’t peek before the last hour of baking. Cake is done when top is set. Let stand in can a few minutes before tipping pudding out on a plate. Serve half-rounds plain, with whipped topping, or a pudding sauce.
APPLE DATE PUDDING
* 4-5 apples, peeled, cored and diced
* 3/4 cup sugar, or less, to taste
* 1/2 cup chopped dates
* 1/2 cup toasted, chopped pecans
* 2 tbs. flour
* 1 tsp. baking powder
* 1/8 tsp. salt
* 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
* 2 tbs. melted butter
* 1 egg, beaten
In the slow cooker, place apples, sugar, dates and pecans; stir. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg and stir into apple mixture. Drizzle melted butter over batter and stir. Stir in egg. Set cooker on low and cook for 3 to 4 hours.
Serve warm.
NOTE: If crispier nuts are desired, add toasted pecans at the end of cooking period.
PINEAPPLE PUDDING
3/4 c. dry non-fat milk
1 egg
30 drops liquid sweetener
1 tsp. vanilla
1 sm. can crushed pineapple, drained but save juice
Add enough water to pineapple juice to make 1/2 cup. Mix all except pineapple and cook until almost thick. Add pineapple and continue to cook until thick.
FRUIT ‘N’ BREAD PUDDING
3 slices enriched white bread
1 1/2 med. bananas, peeled and sliced
1/2 c. sliced peaches with juice
1/2 c. cranberries
1/2 c. brown sugar replacement
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 c. water
1/2 tsp. banana extract
1/2 tsp. brandy extract
Grated nutmeg (optional)
On baking sheet toast bread at 325 degrees until dry. Cut toast into cubes. Combine toast cubes and fruits. Dissolve brown sugar and cinnamon in water. Add extracts. Pour over fruit mixture, turn with spatula until well coated. Let stand 5 minutes. Turn again, scraping down sides of bowl. Place mixture in one-quart size oven-proof casserole. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Serve warm with dusting of grated nutmeg.
Makes 3 servings.
CHOCOLATE PUDDING
1/3 c. chocolate Alba skimmed milk
1 egg
3/4 c. water
Vanilla to taste
Tart shells
Mix ingredients. Cook until thick. Serve in tart shells.
Zabaglione
6 large egg yolks
6 teaspoons sugar
6 tablespoons Amaretto
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/2 cup whipping cream
• Combine egg yolks with sugar in top of double boiler and beat with a wire whisk until frothy.
• Add Amaretto and grated orange peel.
• Place over gently boiling water in a double boiler and beat continuously until smooth.
• Remove from heat, still in boiler top, over ice cubes in bowl to cool.
• Then whip cream and fold into cool custard with a rubber spatula.
• Pour into individual serving cups and chill.
• To garnish, sprinkle with shaved chocolate
Yield: Serves 6
Raspberry and Sherry Trifle
• The trifle should be prepared at least 8 hours in advance.
• It can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Pound cake spread with raspberry jam, drizzled with sherry or apple juice, and layered in a glass trifle bowl with raspberries and custard sauce, combine to create an impressively rich concoction that is perfect for feeding a crowd.
• A smooth custard sauce is one of the hallmarks of a good cook.
• It is stirred constantly to discourage the eggs from overcooking and scrambling.
• A wooden spatula works better than a wooden spoon because it scrapes the bottom of the pan more efficiently and can get into the corners more effectively.
• Don’t overcook the custard, or the eggs will scramble.
• The custard should cook to the point when it thickens enough to nicely coat the wooden spatula.
• Until you’ve done this enough that you recognize the thickness by sight, use an instant-read thermometer to gauge when the custard is cooked to 185 degrees F.
• If you cook the custard much beyond this point, or anywhere near the boiling temperature of 212 degrees F, it will become grainy.
• Some cooks rescue scrambled custard by whirling it in a blender until smooth again, but, I find the fixed sauce tastes “eggy”
• If you do botch a batch, it’s best to toss it out and start over again.
• Custards are strained before serving to remove any pieces of cooked egg white and ensure a silky smooth texture.
• Egg whites set at a lower temperature than egg yolks, so there will always be a few strands of stray white or chalazae (the thin white cord attached to the yolks) in the sauce that should be removed.
• You can make the trifle in any 3-quart glass bowl, but a footed glass trifle bowl looks especially festive.
• After the holidays, use the bowl to serve fruit or vegetable salads or tiramisù.
• Trifle bowls are available at housewares stores during the holiday season.
Custard Sauce
2 1/2 cups milk (not low-fat)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
7 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
One 16-ounce store-bought pound cake, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 cup high-quality raspberry preserves
1/2 cup sweet sherry, such as cream or oloroso
2 pints fresh or frozen raspberries (see Note)
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• Start the trifle at least 8 hours before serving.
• To make the custard sauce, in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, heat the milk and sugar over medium-low heat until very hot, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks to combine.
• Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks, then whisk them into the saucepan.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula, until the custard is thick enough to coat the spoon, about 3 minutes.
• An instant-read thermometer inserted into the custard will read 185 degrees F.
• Do not let the custard come to a boil.
• Strain the custard through a wire sieve into a medium bowl.
• Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard and pierce a few holes into the wrap with the tip of a sharp knife.
• Let stand on a wire cake rack until cooled to room temperature.
• Stand cake slices around the inside of the bowl, and more on the bottom, trimming the cake as needed.
• Drizzle about 1/4 cup of the sherry over the cake.
• Using a rubber spatula, spread preserves on the exposed sides cake slices (this doesn’t have to look perfect.)
• Fill the bowl with half of the raspberries.
• Top with more cake slices, spread with preserves, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sherry.
• Repeat with the remaining raspberries, cake slices, preserves, and sherry.
• Don’t be concerned if you have leftover cake or not quite enough.
• Slowly pour the custard sauce over all.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. (
• The trifle can be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead.
• Just before serving, in a chilled large bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer set at high speed, beat the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until stiff.
• Spread over the top of the trifle and sprinkle with the almonds.
• Serve chilled, and serving some of the whipped cream topping and almonds with each portion.
Note:
• Use individually frozen raspberries, not block-frozen.
• Place the frozen raspberries in a wire sieve and rinse under cold running water to remove any ice crystals.
• Do not thaw the raspberries completely.
Yield: Serves 12
Chocolate Pudding
You can make this without nuts by substituting flour and using 1 2/3 cups flour. Use a shallow 12 inch square pan.
Pudding:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash of salt
1/4 cup good unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup ground hazelnuts
1 2/3 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped roughly or chocolate morsels
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sauce:
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa into a bowl, stir in the hazelnuts and the sugar, then add the chocolate.
• Whisk together the melted butter, egg, milk and vanilla and pour into the dry ingredients. Stir well, so it’s all thoroughly mixed, then spoon into a buttered dish.
Sauce:
• Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Mix the brown sugar and cocoa and sprinkle over the top of the pudding mixture in the dish.
• Pour the boiled water up to the 2 cup mark of a measuring cup, and then pour it over the pudding.
• Put the water-drenched pudding directly into the oven and leave it there for about 50 minutes.
• Don’t open the door until a good 45 minutes have passed and then press: if it feels fairly firm and springy to the touch, it’s ready.
• This should take about 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Yield: Serves 8
Steamed Orange Pudding
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• Accompaniment: custard sauce or crème fraîche
• Equipment: a 6-cup metal or ceramic pudding mold* or deep bowl with a lip
• Stir together baking soda and orange juice.
• Toss raisins with flour.
• Beat together butter, sugar, and salt with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy.
• Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add orange juice, raisins, marmalade, and bread crumbs and mix at low speed until blended.
• Spoon batter into lightly buttered mold.
• Cover mold with a sheet of foil and secure it tightly with kitchen string (if mold has a lid, use that instead).
• Put mold on a metal rack inside a deep pot.
• Add enough boiling-hot water to pot to reach halfway up mold, then cover pot and steam pudding in simmering water, adding more boiling water as needed, until surface of pudding feels dry and firm, about 2 hours.
• Cool on another rack 5 minutes.
• Loosen edge of pudding with a thin knife and invert onto a serving plate.
• Serve warm.
Yield: Serves 6
Working time: 20 minutes
Preparation time: 2 hours
Plum Pudding
A holiday tradition from Charles Dickens’ The Christmas Carole until today!
Fruit Mixture (To be made 4 days ahead)
1 pound seedless raisins
1 pound sultana raisins
1/2 pound currants
1 cup thinly sliced citron
1 cup chopped candied peel
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound finely chopped suet - powdery fine
1 1/4 cups cognac
Pudding
1 1/4 pounds fresh bread crumbs
1 cup scalded milk
1 cup sherry or port
12 eggs, well beaten
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Cognac
• Blend the fruits, citron, peel, spices and suet and place in a bowl or jar.
• Add 1/4 cup cognac, cover tightly and refrigerate for 4 days, adding 1/4 cup cognac each day.
• Soak the bread crumbs in milk and sherry or port.
• Combine the well-beaten eggs and sugar.
• Blend with the fruit mixture.
• Add salt and mix thoroughly.
• Put the pudding in buttered bowls or tins, filling them about 2/3 full.
• Cover with foil and tie it firmly.
• Steam for 6-7 hours.
• Uncover and place in a 250 degrees F oven for 30 minutes.
• Add a dash of cognac to each pudding, cover with foil and keep in a cool place.
• To use, steam again for 2-3 hours and unmold.
• Sprinkle with sugar; add heated cognac.
• Ignite and bring flaming to the table.
• Serve with hard sauce or cognac sauce which you can buy in the supermarket.
Each pudding serves 12.
Italian Ricotta Pudding
½ pound ricotta
½ cup milk chocolate, grated
½ cup walnuts, finely grated
4 tbs. cream
• Cream the ricotta, add the chocolate and nuts and thoroughly blend.
• Add enough cream to make a smooth texture.
• Serve in small desert cups with stems alongside cookies.
Additions: maraschino cherries or chopped candied fruits.
Yield: Serves 4
Bread Pudding with Cider
2 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup apple cider
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon cinnamon
6 cups cubed stale raisin-cinnamon bread
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cubed (about 1 cup)
1 cup dried apples
Cider Sauce*
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a 10 by 14-inch baking dish with the butter and set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs.
• Add the cream, cider, sugar, melted butter, salt, and cinnamon, and whisk to combine. Add the bread, fresh and dried apples, and stir to combine.
• Pour into the prepared dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the bread is well saturated, up to 1 hour.
• Bake until the top is golden brown and the center is firm, about 1 hour.
*Cider Bread Pudding Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cider
4 egg yolks
• In the top of a double boiler, melt the butter over simmering water.
• Add the sugar and whisk to combine, whisking for 1 minute.
• Add the cider and whisk until the sugar is dissolved, 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, whisking constantly.
• Return to the heat and continue whisking until the sauce is pale and slightly thickened, 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
• Spoon the sauce over the pudding and serve immediately.
• The sauce will thicken as it cools.
Sherry Trifle
This is a classic English dessert.
Small plain sponge cake
1 packet raspberry jelly, made according to instructions but using two tbs. less water than recommended.
1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced
4 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced or canned sliced peaches in fruit juice, drained
1 wine glass cream sherry
Half pint custard 284ml thick double cream
Praline and fresh raspberries for garnish
• Break the sponge cake into little pieces and sprinkle with the sherry.
• Place the bananas over the sponge and spoon the jelly over.
• Arrange the peaches and cover them with the custard, finishing with a thick layer of double cream.
• Allow to chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
• Sprinkle with the crushed praline and garnish with the raspberries before serving.
Powdered Praline:
1 cup granulated sugar
Half cup blanched almonds
Half teaspoon butter
• Slice the almonds and lightly toast them in an oven.
• Allow to cool.
• Grease a heat-proof flat dish.
• In a heavy saucepan combine sugar and butter.
• Cook stirring over medium heat, until it begins to caramelize.
• Add the almonds and pour immediately into the greased dish.
• Allow to cool.
• Then crush either with a pestle and mortar, or place the praline between two pieces of greaseproof paper and crush with a rolling pin.
Pineapple and Rice Pudding
3 cups cooked rice
3 cups whole milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/3 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated
1 5 1/4-ounce can crushed pineapple
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Combine rice, milk, sugar, butter and salt in saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy, about 25 minutes.
• Beat egg yolks.
• Blend a little rice mixture into yolks.
• Stir all into rice mixture and cook an additional minute.
• Remove from heat and add pineapple and cinnamon.
• Cool.
• Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.
• Fold into cooled rice mixture.
• Turn into greased 9-inch square baking pan.
• Top with coconut and nutmeg.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Yield: Serves 6
Hot Fudge Upside Down Pudding
1 cup sifted flour
2 tsp. double action baking powder
Dash salt
¾ cup sugar
6 tbs. cocoa
½ cup milk
Chocolate Sauce:
3 squares 3 oz. of unsweetened chocolate
¼ cup water
1 cup sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup cream or evaporated milk
• Mix together all the ingredients except vanilla and cream in a saucepan.
• Bring slowly to a boil.
• Cook slowly until a soft ball is formed when a small mount of syrup is dropped into very cold water or to 236 degrees F.
• Remove from the heat and beat in remaining ingredients of vanilla and cream.
• Can be served hot or cold.
Yield: 2 cups
Bread Pudding
2 cups bread, cut in small cubes
1 ½ cups water
4 cups milk
1 tbs. Butter
¼ tsp. salt
¾ cup sugar
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Soak the bread in water for five minutes.
• Bring milk to scalding and add butter, salt, and sugar.
• Thoroughly drain crumbs and add to hot milk mixture.
• Pour over the eggs and add vanilla and mix well.
• Pour into greased baking dish; place dish in a pan of hot water.
• Bake in a slow oven until firm, about 50 minutes.
Serve warm with lemon sauce.
Yield: Serves 8
Rice Pudding
1/3 cup basmati rice
2 cups cold water
1 1/2 tablespoons clarified butter (see cooks’ note, below)
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 tablespoon roasted cashews, minced
1 tablespoon slivered blanched almonds
5 1/2 cups milk
6 saffron threads
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• Rinse rice well in a large sieve under cold running water, and then transfer to a bowl. Add 2 cups cold water and let stand for 1 hour.
• Drain rice.
• Heat clarified butter* in a small skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook raisins and nuts, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes.
• Bring milk to a simmer in a 3 to 4 quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat.
• Transfer 2 tablespoons milk to a cup, then add saffron and let stand.
• Add rice to remaining simmering milk and cook, stirring frequently, until rice is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add sugar and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture is thickened to a loose pudding consistency, about 35 minutes more.
• Stir in raisin-nut mixture, saffron milk, and cardamom and simmer 2 minutes more.
• Serve warm.
*To make 1 1/2 tablespoons clarified butter, cut 3 tablespoons unsalted butter into 1-inch pieces and melt in a very small saucepan over low heat. Remove pan from heat and let butter stand 3 minutes. Skim froth and slowly pour butter into a measuring cup, leaving milky solids in bottom of pan (discard milky solids).
Working time: 1 ½ hours
Preparation time: 2 hours
Yield: Serves 4
Maple Bread Pudding with Walnut Praline
Particularly wonderful with vanilla bean ice cream.
Praline
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
Bread pudding
8 fresh eggs
1 quart whipping cream
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup maple syrup, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1-pound loaf brioche or egg bread, torn into bite-size pieces
Vanilla ice cream
For praline:
• Spray rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.
• Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
• Increase heat to high and boil without stirring until mixture turns deep amber color, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush, about 7 minutes.
• Stir in nuts.
• Quickly spread nuts on prepared sheet. Cool. Chop praline into small pieces.
• Can be made 1 day ahead.
• Store in airtight container at room temperature.
For bread pudding:
• Whisk eggs, cream, sugar, 1 cup maple syrup, and vanilla in large bowl to blend.
• Add brioche; stir to coat.
• Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter 13×9x2-inch baking dish.
• Transfer bread mixture to prepared dish.
• Bake until puffed and golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
• Cool slightly.
• Cut into 6 to 8 pieces.
• Place 1 piece pudding on each plate.
• Place scoop of ice cream atop pudding, drizzle with maple syrup, sprinkle with praline, and serve.
Yield: Serves 8