Bourbon Bread Pudding with a Bourbon Butterscotch Sauce

My husband has been on a bread pudding kick. If we go to a restaurant, he wants to order bread pudding for dessert. If I ask him what dessert he wants me to make, he suggests bread pudding. To satisfy this craving of his, I decided to try making bread pudding myself. I was happy with the results of my first bread pudding attempt! Had I not added the sauce, the taste of bourbon would not have been as present, but with the sauce you got just enough bourbon flavor. My only complaint regarding this recipe is the recommended loaf pan used to bake the pudding. A loaf pan is rather deep, so the pudding located in the bottom of the dish does not bake as well, even with the hot water bath. Next time my husband requests bread pudding, and trust me there will be a next time, I am going to try using a more shallow pan or possibly individual ramekins.

Bourbon Bread Pudding with a Bourbon Glaze

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8 oz baguette (or egg-rich bread), preferably stale – I used Challah

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

4 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

1 tablespoon bourbon

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract

Have a nonreactive 9x5 inch loaf pan on hand (a Pyrex or pottery pan is perfect here), as well as a roasting pan big enough to hold the loaf pan. Line the roasting pan with a double thickness of paper towels. Fill a teakettle with water and put it on to boil; when the water boils, turn off the heat.

Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes. If the bread is stale, put it in the loaf pan. If it is not stale, spread it out on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat and bake in a 350 degree oven to "stale" it for 10 minutes, then put it in the pan.

Bring the milk and cream just to a boil.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, yolks, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a bowl. Still whisking, slowly drizzle in about one quarter of the hot milk mixture - this will temper, or warm, the eggs so they don't curdle. Whisking all the while, slowly pour in the remaining milk. Add the bourbon and vanilla and almond extracts and whisk gently to blend. Rap the bowl against the counter to pop any bubbles that might have formed, then pour the custard over the bread and press the bread gently with the back of a spoon to help cover it with liquid. Cover the pan lightly with wax paper and leave it on the counter, giving the bread the back-of-the-spoon treatment now and then, for 1 hour.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350.

Discard the wax paper and cover the pan snugly with a piece of aluminum foil; poke about 5 holes in the foil. Slide the pan into the oven and very carefully pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the pudding pan. Bake the pudding form 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes more, or until the pudding is puffed and golden and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean. Transfer the baking pan to a rack and cool the pudding until it is just warm, or until it reaches room temperature.

The bread pudding is best served at room temperature - the texture is best then and the flavors most pronounced. You can refrigerate the pudding, but it loses its lusciousness as its temperature drops. Cut the pudding into thick slices and use a pie server to lift the the pieces from the pan. Serve the pudding plain, with a big spoon,with fruit such as berries or caramelized apples, our with a Bourbon Butterscotch glaze (recipe below).

 

Bourbon Butterscotch Sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons bourbon

1/4 cup butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients. Cook in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture just comes to a good simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 to 5 minutes, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Transfer to a heat-proof container, cover and cool slightly before serving. Sauce will thicken a bit as it cools.

Yields a little over 1 cup.

Source: Bread Pudding from Baking from my home to yours by Dorie Greenspan; Bourbon Butterscotch Sauce from Baking Bites

Red Velvet Cake Balls

Last month we celebrated my younger brother-in-law’s high school graduation. For several months Curt has asked me to make some red velvet cake balls and I kept telling him I would make them for his graduation. As you can see, he remembered my promise and although I had planned to make the cake balls look like graduation caps, I delivered on my promise. This dessert is dangerous! They are small enough you can just pop in your mouth and not realize how many you just consumed! Bakerella has made cake balls and pops famous. There are so many combinations of cake and icing, chocolate, and fun ways to decorate! They are super easy to make, but they are made in steps, so you need adequate time to prepare. I guess I have another four years to gather the things I need to make graduation caps for Curt’s college graduation!

Red Velvet Cake Balls

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1 box red velvet cake mix (cooked and cooled in a 9 x 13 pan)

1 can cream cheese frosting

1 package chocolate bark (semi-sweet, dark chocolate, or white chocolate)

wax paper

Bake cake as directed. After cake has cooled completely, crumble into a large bowl. Mix thoroughly with 3/4 to 1 whole can of cream cheese frosting. I like to use a fork to combine the frosting and cake crumbs. Using a cookie scoop, roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. Chill balls in refrigerator for several hours.

Melt chocolate, a few pieces at a time, in microwave per package directions. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

Source: Bakerella

Churros

What could possible be a better way to end a Mexican themed dinner than with tasty churros?!? To continue the Tex-Mex theme I decided to try making churros from scratch. This particular recipe calls for the zest of an orange to be included in the bread dough. I was very surprised to taste how well the orange married with the cinnamon and sugar, making this one of the fanciest and tastiest churros to date! I found the easiest way to coat the churros with the cinnamon-sugar was to take a small paper bag, such as a brown paper lunch bag, throw in a few churros and shake ‘em around until they are completely coated in cinnamon and sugar goodness!

Churros

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Vegetable oil, for deep frying

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 stick butter

1 cup water

2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

1 orange, zested

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

4 eggs

Fill a deep-fryer or large Dutch oven halfway with vegetable oil and heat to 350 degrees.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl or in a small paper bag. Set aside.

Combine the butter, water, and sugar in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. One it has come to a boil, lower to medium heat and add the flour, orange zest, and nutmeg, stirring constantly until it comes away from the pan and it forms a ball.

Transfer dough to a bowl and use an electric mixer to help cool it off. At this point you can whisk in the eggs, 1 at a time, until it becomes a smooth batter.

Transfer batter to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Working in batches, carefully pipe 4-inch long ribbons directly into the hot oil to fry. Fry until golden, turning if necessary, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels. Transfer the churros into the cinnamon/sugar mixture and toss to coat.

Serve immediately while still warm.

Source: www.foodnetwork.com/paula-deen

Almond Joy Brownies

When I think of Almond Joys, I usually break out in song, “Sometimes you feel like a nut….!” Sorry, I couldn’t help myself on that one! I have a beloved co-worker that LOVES almond joys. The past few years on her birthday I have brought her a package of mini almond joys, but this year I decided to do something a little different… introducing Almond Joy’s in brownie form! Think of coconut soaked in sweetened condensed milk, sandwiched in between layers of rich, dark chocolate brownie, and a thin layer of chopped almonds….wow! One ingredient that helped make this brownie so decadent is Hershey's special dark cocoa powder; it really makes a big difference in flavor and I recommend using it in this recipe. If you don't have it on hand or can't find it, you can always use regular cocoa powder, which will give the brownie a more semi-sweet chocolate flavor. If you have a lover of Almond Joy's in your family, make this for them over the weekend, they will be in coconut-brownie bliss!!

Almond Joy Brownies

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3/4 cup cocoa powder (recommended: Hershey’s Special Dark)

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/8 cup all purpose flour

2 cups shredded, sweetened coconut

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

2/3 cup toasted almonds, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 8 x 8 inch square pan with foil and spray lightly with non-stick spray.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa powder. Let stand 3 minutes. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, then add sugar, vanilla, and almond extract. Fold in salt and flour and stir until blended. Spread half the batter evenly in pan.

Combine coconut and sweetened condensed milk in a bowl. Spread dollops of coconut mixture oven the brownie batter. Sprinkle chopped almonds over coconut mixture. Spread remaining brownie batter over coconut mixture. Smooth carefully with a knife.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature. Cut into squares.

Source adapted from: Dinner & Dessert, originally from Baking and Boys

Strawberry Shortcakes

Strawberry season is one of my favorite times of the year. It means that the warmer weather is upon us and strawberries are in their prime, meaning lots of good deals at the store and lots of strawberry desserts! I made a batch of cream cheese shortcakes over Memorial Day weekend, mainly for a surprise I will tell you about tomorrow. Since I only used half a batch, I couldn’t let them go to waste….thus we made strawberry shortcakes!  The shortcakes were very good on their own, only made better with some strawberries and fresh cream on top.  To make fresh whipped cream, whip 1 cup of  heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar and whip until soft peaks form again.

Make sure to stop by tomorrow and I will show you what I did with the remaining shortcakes!

Cream Cheese Shortcakes

Makes about 10 shortcakes

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2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 (3oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add cream cheese, stirring to combine. Add cream, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 3/4 inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2 inch round cutter, re-rolling dough as necessary. Place shortcakes on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely. Crumble 5 shortcakes; reserve remaining shortcakes for another use.

Source: Cooking with Paula Deen, July/August 2008

Banana Split Brownie Pizza

This is a different dessert that I probably would have never made, but after seeing Mrs. Paula Deen make it on her show I had to give it a try! Actually, my M-I-L was the first to make this dessert a year or so ago. I remember the whole family had enjoyed it, so I knew it would be a good dessert to serve to the Women’s Basketball team. I chose to make two small pizzas due to the fact that I don’t own a round rimmed baking dish and didn’t want a mess on my hands should the brownie decide to run off the side of the pan! When I first saw this recipe I thought that the flavors of brownie didn’t really mix with cream cheese and pineapple, but I was wrong! The flavors of a banana split are present in each bite. Subtle hints of pineapple mixed in the cream cheese, lots of strawberries and bananas, and of course chocolate. It was hard to resist this pizza!

Banana Split Brownie Pizza

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1 (20 oz) box fudge brownie mix

8 oz package cream cheese, softened

8 oz crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved

2 tablespoons sugar

2 bananas, sliced and tossed in lemon juice to prevent browning

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Chocolate syrup, for drizzling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 15 inch pizza pan, or two 8 inch pie pans. Prepare the brownie mix according to box directions. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until done. Remove from oven and cool. Beat the cream cheese, pineapple, and sugar together in a bowl. Use any reserved pineapple juice at this time, if needed, to soften the mixture to a good spreading consistency. Otherwise, dispose of or save the juice for another use. Spread the mixture over the cooled brownie crust. Arrange the banana and strawberry slices over the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the chopped nuts, if desired, and drizzle with chocolate syrup. Refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, make into pizza slices.

Source: www.foodnetwork.com/paula-deen

Bailey’s Irish Cream Swirl Brownies

Happy St. Patrick’s day everyone!

Bailey’s Irish Cream brownies are  my ode to this holiday. We aren’t one to really celebrate St. Patrick’s day… no corned beef and cabbage for us, but I did want to make something somewhat related to celebrate the occasion. The brownies were out of this world. Super chocolaty, super rich and very decadent. I easily could have made myself sick between eating the actual brownies and licking the bowl of Bailey’s glaze!!  I hope everyone has a Happy St. Patrick’s day!

Bailey’s Irish Cream Swirl Brownies

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For the Swirl:

3 oz cream cheese, room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

2 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream

For the Brownies:

6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon Bailey’s Irish Cream

milk, if needed to thin out the mixture

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter an 8 inch nonstick baking pan. (I also placed foil inside the pan, making sure the foil lays over the sides of the pan.) In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in egg. Mix in flour, Bailey’s, and vanilla. Set mixture aside.

Stir baking chocolate and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Using a mixer, beat sugar and eggs in a large bowl until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix in chocolate and vanilla extract. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spread a little more than half the chocolate batter in prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula, spread cream cheese mixture over chocolate batter. Spoon remaining chocolate batter over top of cream cheese mixture. Using the tip of a knife, gently swirl through batter, forming a marble design. Bake brownies for 30 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.

While baking, make glaze by combining powdered sugar and Bailey’s. If too thick, use milk to thin mixture out. While brownies are still warm, use a pastry brush to distribute the glaze over the brownies.

Let brownies sit for 15 minutes. Cut into squares for serving.

Source adapted from: Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

Fried Ice Cream

I scream….you scream….we all scream…for FRIED ICE CREAM!!

My dear Husband has been talking about fried ice cream for the past 3 months. I’m not sure what brought it on, but it has been in his head and on his mind for all 3 months. He never asked me to make it for him, but he did ask on several occasions to take me out for dessert, and by dessert, he meant fried ice cream! I turned him down each time thinking he just liked the idea of fried ice cream, having no clue if he really enjoyed it.



Last weekend I broke down and decided to try making it myself. I couldn’t find a good recipe online that incorporated what we had on hand, so I improvised and came up with my own version. I chose to use both vanilla and chocolate ice cream. The Hubby was super happy and enjoyed every bite. I was surprised myself by how good it was. While I still love a simple bowl of ice cream , this is a good way to switch things up.

Fried Ice Cream

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4 to 6 scoops ice cream, any flavor

1 cup cornflakes, crushed

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons sugar

Vegetable oil, for frying

Toppings: Whipped cream, chocolate syrup, caramel sauce

With an ice cream scooper, make 4 to 6 large balls of ice cream. Place on a piece of parchment paper and
freeze for 1 to 2 hours, until firm.

Place crushed cornflakes in a bowl. Place egg and sugar in a separate bowl and stir to combine. Take the ice cream balls and dip into the egg mixture and then cover with cornflakes. Return to freezer for another 1 to 2 hours, until firm.

Heat oil in a fryer pan or Dutch oven until it reaches 400 degrees. Place ice cream balls in the oil one at at time for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until golden brown.

Drizzle with desired toppings and serve immediately.

Apple and Pear Crisp

Typically I prefer sweet desserts over the savory, but every now and then I try to keep the savory dessert lovers in the family happy. I found this recipe on a whim last week; I had been wanting to make something with pears and this sounded too good not to try. The recipe calls for the zest and juice of an orange, which I thought was an interesting combination, but it actually worked really well together. I have yet to make a recipe from Ina Garten that I didn't like and this recipe was no different. On cold winter days, this dessert helps warm the soul and satisfies any sweet tooth.

Apple and Pear Crisp

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2 pounds ripe Bosc pears (about 4 pears)

2 pounds firm Macoun apples (about 6 apples)

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Vanilla Ice Cream, for topping


For the Topping:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

2 sticks cold unsalted butter, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel, core, and cut the pears and apples into large chunks. Place the fruit in a large bowl and add the zest, juices, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pout into a 9 x 12 x 2 inch baking dish.


For the Topping:

Combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle
attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, until the mixture is in large crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit, covering completely.

Place the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is brown and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Source: www.foodnetwork.com/Ina Garten

Bananas Foster

Sometimes my mother-in-law likes to play with fire.

On occasion she likes to set alcohol on fire.

She claims it's all for us and serves us a nice bowl of caramelized bananas, but I think its all just front and we're really just encouraging her habits, but in the end who can resist a dessert like Bananas Foster?



Obviously, my mother-in-law is not suffering from any kind of illness,but she has been known to make Bananas Foster for us. I personally just like to watch because I'm mildly afraid of setting my hair or house on fire. For those that have more courage than me, this really is a quick and easy dessert. My favorite way to eat it is with a slice of pound cake, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a heaping pile of bananas, a generous drizzle of the rum sauce, and a dollop of whip cream on top. It is seriously good.

Bananas Foster

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1 stick butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 bananas peeled, halved, and cut lengthwise

1/4 cup dark rum

Ice cream, optional

Pound cake, optional

In a large skillet, melt butter. Using a wooden spoon, add brown sugar and stir together. Add the bananas and cook until caramelized on both sides, over medium-high heat. Move pan off heat, add the rum and return to the stove to catch a flame from the gas stove or a long lighter. Stand back when ignited and flambé the bananas. PLEASE be careful as the flame will shoot up above the pan. Let flame die down and the alcohol cook out. Serve bananas over vanilla ice cream and with a slice of pound cake, if desired.

Source: www.foodnetwork.com/Paula Deen, 2007