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You Asked For It

Bread pudding recipes come from near and far

Recipe requests

By ELLEN FOLKMAN
Published March 30, 2005

Bread pudding is a great comfort food. Juanita Sisco, who was looking for a good bread pudding recipe to make for her son, came to the right source: This dish is a favorite with many readers.

Judi Cummings owned a bed and breakfast for many years, and she shares a recipe originally from the Coach House Restaurant in New York City.

Rosemary Brandus was visiting from Maryland when she saw Juanita's request. Her bread pudding recipe comes from the Cajun Corner restaurant in New Orleans. She and friends were dining there and complimenting the bread pudding when the server handed them recipe cards. Rosemary says it is absolutely the best, but it is imperative to use French bread only.

Marion Westcott sent her favorite recipe, which has been shared from Maine to Florida. It's made in a double boiler. As variations, Marion suggests sprinkling chocolate chips, raisins or nuts as desired.

Celeste Hegwein's recipe uses bread crumbs instead of slices or cubes of bread.

For: Juanita Sisco of New Port Richey

From: Judi Cummings of Spring Hill

Recipe: The Coach House Bread and Butter Pudding

12 or 13 slices of French bread, crusts removed

1 stick butter, room temperature

5 eggs

4 egg yolks

1 cup granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Butter one side of each slice of bread and set aside. Put the eggs, yolks, sugar and salt in a large bowl and beat until thoroughly mixed. Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan with a heavy bottom and heat until scalded.

Remove from heat and, whisking briskly, slowly add egg mixture. Stir in vanilla.

Have ready enough boiling water to come 21/2 inches up the sides of a pot large enough to hold a 2 quart baking dish. Layer the bread, butter side up, in the baking dish. Pour the custard into the dish. (The bread will float to the top.) Place pot of boiling water in oven, then put the custard-filled dish into it.

Bake about 45 minutes or until custard is set except for a slight tremble in the center. Don't overbake! Remove from oven and sprinkle confectioner's sugar on top.

For: Juanita Sisco of New Port Richey

From: Rosemary Brandus of Easton, Md.

Recipe: Cajun Corner Bread Pudding

16 cups French bread, cubed

1 cup pecan pieces

1/3 cup melted butter

4 cups sugar

4 cups milk

8 eggs

2 tablespoons vanilla

3 tablespoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons nutmeg

Lightly toast the cubed bread. Place toasted cubes in a lightly greased 9- by 13-inch pan. Sprinkle top of bread with pecan pieces and melted butter. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly. Add milk and mix thoroughly.

Pour mixture over bread cubes. Press down with palms of hands until mixture covers the bread completely.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for half an hour. Rotate pan and bake half an hour longer. Turn off the oven and leave bread pudding in the oven until cold. Serve with a warm rum sauce or whipped cream. It's also delicious plain, served warm or cold.

Makes 12 servings.

For: Juanita Sisco of New Port Richey

From: Marion Westcott of Seminole

Recipe: Bread Pudding

Put 1 cup brown sugar in the top of a double boiler. Add 4 or 5 slices of buttered and diced bread. Do not stir!

In a bowl, beat 2 eggs and add 2 cups milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a dash of salt. Add to brown sugar mixture. Do not stir!

Add water to bottom pan of double boiler. Place top inside pan, cover and cook about 1 hour until custard is set. When done, the brown sugar will be melted and form a sauce.

Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon before serving.

For: Juanita Sisco of New Port Richey

From: Celeste Hegwein of Clearwater

Recipe: Custard Bread Pudding

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups milk

2 cups bread crumbs

1/4 cup butter

Beat eggs only until mixed. Add sugar, salt, nutmeg and vanilla.

Scald milk (do not boil). Add bread crumbs and allow them to soak. Add butter, which melts in warm milk. Stir in egg mixture and pour into greased baking dish. Set dish in pan containing 1 inch water. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Cora Munford enjoyed a honey bun cake at a party over the holidays. Unfortunately, the party host can't remember who brought the cake. Cora is looking for the recipe.

This strawberry season Joan Koegler is looking for a recipe for cool strawberry soup. She even bought a new blender to make it.

Katherine Hilliard is looking for a recipe for creme de menthe cake. Her grandson is very fond of it, and he has a birthday coming up. She would like to make it for him. If you have any of these recipes in your file, please share them.

- You Asked for It is a reader mail column. Send recipe requests to You Asked for It, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or e-mail them to youaskedforit@knology.net Please put "Recipe request" in the subject line. Recipes will be received by mail only. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number. Letters without this information will be discarded. Requests cannot be answered by phone or mail.

[Last modified March 29, 2005, 10:42:42]