Bananas Foster Bread Pudding

Now for my favorite part of any meal (except maybe those lambsicles), dessert!  And what is better than dessert, you ask?  Bread pudding for dessert because it is my absolute favorite dessert.  Ask J, if we are out to dinner and that is a choice for dessert, it doesn't matter what else is on the menu because I will go for bread pudding every time.

This bread pudding was no exception and a great way to cap off our NOLA themed night.  Sadly, I didn't get a picture before I devoured it (despite having ate six previous courses) but trust me, it's good!

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup milk

9 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 bananas, cut 3/4 inch thick

1/4 cup banana liquor

1/2 cup dark rum

4 large eggs, beaten

3 cups heavy cream

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch salt

6 cups bread cubes--we used day old french baguette and it was fantastic!


Kitchen Supplies:
Bread knife, for bread cubes
Heavy saucepan
Whisk
10 x 14 inch baking dish
Large skillet
Lighter stick or match
Wire rack, for cooling

Combine sugar, water, and lemon juice in a heavy saucepan over medium heat and cook until sugar dissolves.  Let boil without stirring until it becomes deep amber color, 2-3 minutes.  Carefully add cream whisking to combine and remove from heat.  Add milk, 2 tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is reached.  Let cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 10 x 14 inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter and set aside.

Melt remaining 8 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add 1 cup of the brown sugar and the cinnamon and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.  Add the bananas and cook on both sides until the bananas begin to soften, and brown about 3 minutes.  Add the banana liquor and stir to blend.  Carefully add the rum and shake the pan to flame the rum.  Shake the pan back and forth until the flame dies.  Remove from heat and cool.  Let me let you in on a little secret: when we made this, the pan did not flambe (light) and you know what, it turned out great!  So if you make this recipe and yours does not ignite, not to worry.  It will still taste wonderful!

Whisk the eggs and add the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the cream, milk, vanilla and salt in a bowl.  Add the cooled banana mixture and bread and stir until blended thoroughly.  Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until firm, about 50 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.  Serve a scoop of pudding on a plate and top with vanilla ice cream and drizzle with caramel sauce.

Serves: 10

And that concludes my NYE recipe round-up.  Now go out there and try some of these recipes.  You will not regret it!  And as always, please let me know if you try them.

Happy weekend, everyone!