I’d been wanting to make bread pudding for a long time. My dear family members were not all that keen on the idea, however. Were they haunted by ghosts of puddings past? Who knows. But I was in a determined, oh-try-it-you’ll-like-it sort of mood, so I collected my ingredients (And my thoughts? Well…) and set about making a bread pudding that would change Public Opinion. And I think I was moderately successful. But countering this Bias against bread pudding is not the work of one day. *Prepare for bread-pudding brain-washing!*

Whole Wheat Bread Pudding

Ingredients

6-8 slices (1/2″ thick) homemade whole wheat bread
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 large eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sucanat or evaporated cane juice crystals
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon imitation rum extract (optional)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Extra evaporated cane juice crystals, for sprinkling on top

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Tear bread into chunks, placing in an 8-inch square baking dish. Drizzle the melted butter over the top.
3. Whisk eggs together in a medium-sized bowl. Add milk, sucanat, cinnamon, salt, vanilla and rum extract. Beat until well combined. Pour over bread chunks; using a fork, lightly push bread down into the egg mixture.
4. Scatter pecans evenly over pudding, then sprinkle a tablespoon or two of evaporated cane juice crystals on top of everything.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the top springs back when touched.

While the pudding is baking (Mmm! Smell the cinnamon?), use the following recipe to make a delicious maple vanilla custard sauce to spoon on top.

Maple Vanilla Custard Sauce

Ingredients

1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Lightly beat egg yolks in a medium-sized, heatproof bowl. Set aside.
2. Whisk maple syrup, cornstarch and salt together in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk. Whisk constantly over medium heat, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Boil and whisk for one minute.
3. Gradually whisk about half of the hot milk mixture into the eggs. Then whisk the egg mixture into the remaining milk mixture. Return the saucepan to medium heat and whisk constantly, allowing the mixture to boil for one minute. Remove from heat.
4. Add the butter and vanilla extract, whisking until butter has fully melted.
5. Spoon the sauce over a warm helping of bread pudding, and you’ve got yourself a delicious start to a crisp, fall day!

P.s. Overheard…
Erica: “So, what did you think of that bread pudding, Dad?”
Dad: “It was all right…”
Me (thinking): Yep, success.