food
CELEBRATE EVERY DAY
P a m
>C
»1
when the seasons change: the first snow, first
crocus, first day at the beach. And now I ’m ready for the first evening
by the fireplace—w ith a dish of warm bread pudding to savor.
Th e bread pudding I ’ve developed to celebrate autumn has it
all—cubes of soft bread to absorb rich vanilla custard, chunks of
bittersweet chocolate, and brandy-plum ped dried cherries. Even
the cooking technique ensures perfection. Baking these custards in
a water bath results in an irresistibly smooth texture.
So get ready. Place a few logs in the fireplace, gather ingredients
for the pudding, and you’ll be set for that first chilly evening—a
welcome opportunity to celebrate the beginningof fall.
BREAD PUDDING WITH
CHOCOLATE AND CHERRIES
PREP: 30 MIN. BAKE: 30 MIN. STAND: 15 MIN.
OVEN:350°F
Nonstick cooking spray
1
cup dried cherries
V
a
cup brandy or applejuice
3
cups half-and-half or light cream
Vi
cup sugar
2
eggs
2
eggyolks
1
tsp. vanilla
5
cups soft white bread cubes
(6 to 7 slices of bread)
4
oz. bittersweet chocolate,
coarsely chopped
R E C I P E S
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat eight
6-ounce custard cups with nonstick
cooking spray. Place cups in large roasting
pan; set aside. In small bowl combine dried
cherries and brandy or juice; set aside.
2.
In medium saucepan combine half-
and-half and sugar. Cook and stir over
medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
3 .
In mixing bowl whisk together eggs
and eggyolks. Slowly add half-and-half
mixture to beaten egg mixture, whisking
constantly. Whisk in vanilla. Stir in bread
cubes. Let stand at room temperature for
IS minutes. Stir in dried cherry-brandy
mixture and divide among custard cups.
Evenly distribute chopped chocolate.
4.
Place roasting pan on oven rack. Pour
boiling water into pan to halfway up sides
of custard cups. Bake 30 minutes, until
knife inserted near pudding centers comes
out clean. Remove cups from water. Serve
warm.
MAKES
8
SERVINGS.
EACH SERVING
391 cal, 19g fa t (11 gsat. fat),
139 mgchol, 188 m g sodium, 47 gcarbo,
2 gfiber, 7gpro. Daily Values: 18% vit.A,
1% vit. C, 15% calcium, 13% iron.
Pam Anderson, winner o f a Julia Child
Award, is the author o f several cookbooks.
Her most recent is
The Perfect Recipe for
Losing Weight
&
Eating Great. ЙЗ
P H O TO S : (P O R T R A IT ) M AU R A M cEVO Y; (BR EAD P U D D IN G ) ANDY LYONS; FO O D STYLIN G : JILL LUST
