Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Whiskey Hard Sauce

The perfect time for this recipe ...... cold weather and snow on the ground!

 It was Sunday evening, cold and snowing. When we turned on the outside light, the snowflakes were reflected as they danced and fell through the air and the scenery was surreal. In the house, where it was nice and warm, it seemed just the time to make a recipe that had appeared recently in the local paper and this is that recipe. What was wanted was a warm kitchen, the smells of something delicious in the oven, and the anticipation of a bowl full of 'Southern Comfort'. That is what we got - the extra warmth from the oven and delightful smells wafting through the house and a delicious end result. I'm sure this bread pudding would be good any time of year, but a cold, snowy evening is really the perfect time .......

Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Whiskey Hard Sauce
 

This bread pudding can be made the day before it is baked and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.

Start to finish: 1 hour, 15 minutes (20 minutes active)

Serves 10

Ingredients for the sauce:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon best-quality bourbon OR rye

pinch of salt

Ingredients for the bread pudding:

8 cups torn OR cubed stale raisin bread (about 1 large loaf)

2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon mace

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

2 cups half-and-half

1 cup heavy cream

4 large eggs

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup mashed baked garnet sweet potatoes 

For the sauce:

• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. 
• Mix in the vanilla, liquor, and salt.
• Continue mixing until smooth and creamy.
• Cover & set aside. Also can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator up to a month.

For the bread pudding:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Coat a 2-quart baking dish or individual ramekins with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, toss together the raisin bread with the pecans, then set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg and salt.
• Toss the sugar mixture over the bread and pecans, then stir well.
• Drizzle everything with the melted butter, then toss to evenly distribute.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, cream, eggs, and brown sugar.
• Add the vanilla and sweet potatoes, then mix well.
• Pour the sweet potato-cream mixture over the bread mixture and stir until well blended.
• Let stand for about 5 minutes, then spoon into the prepared baking dish or ramekins.
• Bake for 45-55 minutes (bake ramekins for 15-20 minutes) or until set.
• As soon as the bread pudding comes out of the oven, top with hard sauce so that it melts into the crevices.
• Serve warm.

Source: RTD article from Elizabeth Karmel, author of “Soaked, Slathered & Seasoned”


(Photo: Merlot)

Amaretto Bread Pudding

My all-time favorite bread pudding ...... I dream about it.


Ingredients:

• 1 loaf French bread
• 1 quart half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons almond extract
• 3/4 cup golden raisins
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Break up bread into small pieces. Place in a medium bowl and cover with the half-and-half. Cover bowl and let stand for 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish with the butter.
4. In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar and almond extract. Stir into bread mixture.
5. Gently fold raisins and almonds into bread mixture.
6. Spread bread mixture evenly in buttered baking dish.
7. Set on middle rack in oven and bake for 50 minutes, until golden.
8. Remove and let cool.

Amaretto Sauce:

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 4 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur

1. In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stir together butter & sugar.
2. Stir constantly until sugar and butter are dissolved and mixture is very hot.
3. Remove from heat. Whisk the egg well into the butter-&-sugar mixture. Continue whisking until sauce has come to room temperature.
4. Add the Amaretto liqueur.

To serve:
Preheat broiler.
Cut pudding into 8-10 squares and place on a decorative, oven proof serving dish.
Spoon Amaretto sauce over pudding and place under broiler until the sauce bubbles. Serve immediately.

Serves 8-10


Source: Parade Magazine several decades ago, recipe by Silver Palate Chefs (Russo & Lufkin)