The first time I ever had bread pudding was in 1999/2000 for some cheerleader fall fundraiser. We as in me, two of my sisters (Amanda & Katie) and a friend (Kate) were helping run a chuck wagon, that belonged to Kate's parents.. We were in cheerleader outfits with leggings, coats, ear muffs and mittens. It was freezing. An I just remember getting to eat this warm custard baked cinnamon bread with a whiskey butter sauce. Although my bread pudding and sauce does not compare to Pats I can at least thank her for introducing us. My life hasn't been the same since.
So we had an awesome comfort food for dinna so I thought why not get even more comfortable with dessert! I had been hoarding bread (cinnamon swirl, whole wheat hamburger buns and ciabatta) all week so it just so happened I had enough for this oh so yummy dessert.
I chopped all my bread about the same size, but it does not matter if you just through it in whole or even just tear it apart. I guess it depends on your mood?! If you were OCD like me today you will want to cut them =)
I butter the side and bottom of the baking dish I am going to use, and I place the bread in it.
In a mixing bowl add 1 qt of whole milk, 6 eggs, 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 TB of cinnamon.
My awesome brother-in-law bought John and I several different kinds of cinnamon from Minneapolis, so today I used Vietnamese)
Be sure to whisk this until your arm wants to fall off. Since the milk is cold it will take a little elbow grease to dissolve the sugar. Of course you don't have to dissolve it all but you also don't want it to just sit on the bottom of the bowl either. Once it is mixed pour over your bread bits. I let it soak in about 15 minutes before I place it in the oven. I don't want the custard to start cooking before the bread has a chance to absorb some of it. Also I don't stir mine around like crazy I leave what wasn't touched by the custard base alone. It will crisp during baking and that with the consistency of the baked custard and tender bread is very nice.
I also like to sprinkle just a few old fashioned oats on top of my bread as well. You can skip this if you want.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for 45 minute - 1 hour.
For the Whiskey Bourbon Toffee Sauce I start with 1 cup of sugar, 1 TB of karo syrup, and *1 TB of bottled water.
I place the sauce pan over medium heat stir it around a bit then I let it alone.
Place that dirty spoon in the sink and get another. You do not want the sugar crystals left on the spoon to get back in this syrup once the other sugar is dissolved. It can cause the sauce to recrystallize.
Once all the sugar is dissolved you are left with a clear bubbly syrup. See below =)
You can now add your 1 stick (cut up) of salted butter.
Stir in butter until melted and continue stirring until you reach a tawny hue.
Once the desired color is reached then add 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, 1TB of whiskey bourbon. Be careful because when you add this mixture to the syrup it will bubble up and boil.
Whisk, whisk, whisk, then whisk some more and it should begin to start looking like caramel. The more you stir the sauce once the cream is added the sooner the sauce will reach the right consistency to drizzle over the bread pudding.
It makes just enough to fit in a 16oz mason jar. Yes I too am obsessed with these old contraptions. They are just so timeless and classy, even if you aren't from the country.
My finished product of just about an hour in the kitchen is a golden hot custard bread pudding with a warm bourbon toffee sauce and some whip cream. I also add a few scrapes off the grater of fresh nutmeg just for some pizzaz!
*If you are from Pampa please refrain yourself from using tap water for this sauce or any sugar cooking what so ever. The results will be like the picture you see below. It has something to do with the impurities in the water, it recrystallizes it and its no bueno.
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