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Blueberry Bread Pudding
with Raspberry Sauce
Here’s a recipe for a fruited bread pudding that I developed for my pre-teen
cooking class recently. The method is somewhat simplified in terms of the
baking method, not using a pan of hot water in which the pudding pan sits.
10 cups, fairly packed, cubed (see
below) baguette or sandwich bread (one large loaf)
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 to 4 tablespoons melted butter (easiest in a cup in microwave)
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup pecans (optional), coarsely chopped
Sauce:
1/2 cup raspberry preserves (can put through a sieve if you want to get rid of seeds)
3/4 cup water
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon butter
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Do not cut off bread crusts, but slice bread if not already sliced, then stack
up a few slices at a time and cut into 1-inch squares. Separately, in large
bowl, whisk eggs lightly. Mix in milk, sugar, seasonings, and melted butter. Stir
in bread. Let sit five minutes then stir again. Stir in blueberries, and pecans,
if used.
Generously butter 10-inch round casserole or high-sided cake pan, or 9 by 13-inch
pan. Fill with mixture and smooth top. Cover with waxed paper or parchment,
then aluminum foil.
Bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 or more minutes to dry top, and until
pudding tests done. (Edges pull away from pan; center should be slightly
springy to the touch. A sharp knife inserted near the center comes out clean.) Remove
from oven.
Whisk sauce ingredients, other than butter, in a small pan. Add butter. Simmer
sauce ingredients 1 minute, stirring with a whisk. With 2-prong fork poke holes
into still-hot pudding here and there and spoon sauce on so it soaks in.
The pudding can be eaten warm. Or cool, cover with plastic wrap. Serve cold, or
slightly warmed (in microwave, for example). Nice topped with whipped cream or
a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
