Serves 6 - 8
Bread pudding is an ideal dessert that transforms leftover or stale bread when baked in a sweet and creamy custard. You can make this in advance and reheat before serving. The salted caramel whiskey sauce can also be served over ice cream.
Bread Pudding Ingredients
2/3 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup Irish whiskey
5 eggs
2 cups whipping cream (substitute evaporated milk if desired to reduce fat)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
8- 10 slices firm white bread, crusts left on
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, (I used Kerrygold Irish butter, salted)
Salted Caramel Whiskey Sauce Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter an 8 inch square baking dish. (I used 9 x 11)
Combine the raisins and whiskey and let soak for 1 hour. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla to make a custard. Spread one side of each slice of bread with butter. Cut the slices in half diagonally and arrange half of bread in bottom of the greased baking dish, overlapping the slices. Drain the raisins, (reserving the whiskey for the sauce) and sprinkle half over the bread. Repeat with remaining bread and raisins. Pour custard over the bread and let it soak for 30 minutes.
Place the baking dish in a large baking pan. Add enough hot water to the pan to come halfway up the sides of dish. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes, or until the pudding is set and the top is golden. Watch during last 15 minutes of baking time and cover the top of bread with foil to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Remove the baking dish from the water bath and let to cool slightly on a wire rack.
For salted caramel whiskey sauce:
In medium saucepan, melt butter over a medium heat. Whisk in sugar, sea salt, cream and whiskey. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for until the sauce thickens (10 – 30 minutes). Serve the pudding warm with the salted caramel whiskey sauce spooned over each serving.