Manhattan Bread Pudding Food

BEST BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with the butter.
• Toast the bread cubes on a baking sheet until they start to dry and harden, about 20 minutes. Set aside. Raise the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Whisk together the cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, whole eggs and yolks in a large bowl. Add the bread to the bowl and stir until completely coated. Cover and let soak for about 30 minutes, pushing the bread down occasionally so that all the cubes are soaked. Meanwhile, pour hot water over the raisins, if using, and soak for 10 minutes. Once plumped, drain the raisins, add to the bowl of bread and gently toss.
• Pour the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake until the custard is set and the top is golden brown, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

SOUTHERN-STYLE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• For the bread pudding: Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter. Put the bread cubes in the dish.
• Whisk together the half-and-half, 3/4 cup of the sugar, vanilla, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, salt and eggs in a large bowl. Pour this mixture over the bread. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a microwave or on the stove and drizzle over the top of the bread pudding. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.
• Place on the center rack in the oven. Bake until the edges start to rise, a knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean and the pudding jiggles when shaken, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on a rack 35 to 40 minutes before serving.
• For the sauce: Puree the berries in food processor. Press through a fine-mesh strainer. Stir in the honey and lime juice. Taste and adjust with more honey if it's not sweet enough for you.
• Serve the bread pudding with a drizzle of sauce. Garnish with additional berries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

SALTED CARAMEL-BANANA BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Make the caramel: Combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook, gently swirling the pan but not stirring, until amber, about 10 minutes. Brush any sugar crystals off the side of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the butter, heavy cream, bourbon, lemon juice and kosher salt (the mixture will bubble). Pour into a bowl and set aside.
• Make the bread pudding: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until dry and golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Whisk the eggs, sugar and kosher salt in a large bowl, then whisk in the milk, heavy cream and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the toasted bread and the banana slices. Transfer half of the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread in an even layer. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of the caramel, then top with the remaining bread mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. Cover and refrigerate the remaining caramel until ready to serve.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle the bread pudding with sea salt and bake until golden brown and set, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Warm the remaining caramel and drizzle on top.

BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Tear 500g white or wholemeal bread into a large mixing bowl and add 500g mixed dried fruit, 85g mixed peel and 1 ½ tbsp mixed spice.
• Pour in 600ml milk, then stir or scrunch through your fingers to mix everything well and completely break up the bread.
• Add 2 beaten large eggs, 140g light muscovado sugar and zest of 1 lemon, if using. Stir well, then set aside for 15 mins to soak.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base of a 20cm non-stick square cake tin (not one with a loose base).
• Stir the melted butter into the pudding mixture, tip into the tin, then scatter with demerara.
• Bake for 1½ hrs until firm and golden, covering with foil if it starts to brown too much. Turn out of the tin and strip off the paper. Cut into squares and serve warm.