Sourdough-Coconut-Chia-Flax-Craisin-Nut Bread Pudding

I think I've finally found my source for Sourdough Bread! Last time I shopped at Costco, I discovered huge loaves of it that seem similar in quality to those I've bought in bakeries.

13oz. sourdough bread

Cut this in cubes then dry in the oven at 250° for about an hour.

In a big bowl, combine the following:

1c chopped pecans

1/2c sprouted pumpkin seeds

1T pumpkin pie spice

1t Himalayan salt

2T chia seeds

2T ground flax seeds

1T Mexican vanilla

1/2c brown sugar

8-10 oz. coconut milk

1T apple cider vinegar

2 Pasture Raised eggs

1c craisins

4oz. total - melted coconut oil and EVOO

Once the bowl of ingredients is well combined, add the dry bread cubes, mix well and quickly, then pour into a 9"x13" glass pan and bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes.

Mmmmm!
This turned out really well, and is probably one of the healthiest bread puddings I've ever made! . .Lin

Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread Pudding

½ loaf heavy whole wheat sourdough bread

This might have been ⅔ of a loaf. Weighing  would have been more accurate. Cut this in ½" cubes and put into a 200° oven for an hour, then turn off the heat. Leave in the oven for a couple more hours or until the cubes are quite dry.

2-3 lg. eggs

¾-1c half and half *

2t Mexican vanilla

½c light brown sugar

2t pumpkin pie spice

½c melted coconut oil

1c soft dark or golden raisins

1c rough chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 275°. Stir the sugar and pumpkin pie spice together, then beat the first 5 ingredients in that group, with an egg beater or electric hand mixer. If this mixture is cold, heat it just a little, in the microwave, so the coconut oil stays warm and liquid. Stir the oil in, then add the raisins and walnuts. Add the bread cubes and mix everything together well. Pour this into an oiled casserole dish.

Total Decadence...

After pouring everything in a casserole dish, if the bread isn't absorbing well, microwave it for 4 minutes, then cover it for 5 minutes while the oven preheats. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar the bake 25-40 minutes until the custard mixture absorbs and the bread is a bit brown and crispy on top. Fully loaded and embellished - top with a little dab of sour cream.  I meant to add orange zest to the recipe, but forgot, so I put a little Kumquat-Plum Marmalade on top also. This would be good for breakfast, dessert or a late night snack. . .Lin

* I didn't have half and half, but the coffee creamer shown is just cream, milk, a little sugar, and it worked very well.

Tuesday Morning Bread Pudding

5 slices of whole wheat bread

5 slices of artisan white bread

4 jumbo eggs

1c half and half

½c white sugar

½t nutmeg

½t salt

1t pumpkin pie spice

1c golden raisins

1c chopped almonds

½c butter

¼-½c coconut spread

½c dark brown sugar

Dry the bread overnight then cut into cubes.  In a large bowl, whisk together the next group of ingredients.  Over medium heat, melt the butter, coconut spread and brown sugar together, then add to the bowl.  Using a wooden spoon, mix these well, then add the bread cubes.

Pour everything into a well-buttered 9"x13" glass pan.  Sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar and bake for 30-40 minutes.  Serve warm with tea or coffee. . .Lin 

Whole and Sprouted Grain Bread Pudding

2 whole grain English muffins

3-4 pieces Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bread

1c Greek yogurt

1/2c half and half

1 egg

1/2 stick butter - melted

2t cinnamon

1-2t nutmeg

1c craisins

1c chopped almonds

1/2c brown sugar

2t pure vanilla extract 

This is a great way to use up bread that is getting older.  Works great with stale bread.  Put the cubed bread into a 9x9" baking dish.  Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Let stand 10 minutes to rehydrate the craisins.  Pour over and work into the bread and let this stand another 10 minutes while preheating the oven.  Sprinkle some raw sugar over the top.  Bake at 350° 30-45 minutes until top is nicely browned.  Cool then cut into squares.  Great for dessert or breakfast. . .Lin

Sprouted Grain Bread Pudding

10± pieces of Ezekiel bread

1c+ chopped walnuts

2 eggs

1/4c cooking oil

1/3c sugar

1/2t baking soda

1T pumpkin pie spice

1c+ milk

1-2T vinegar

1T vanilla

zest of 2 oranges

8 chopped prunes ~or~ 2/3c raisins

2 shredded apples

Cube the bread and chop the walnuts.  In a medium size bowl, whisk together the next 8 ingredients.  Add bread, walnuts, orange zest, chopped dried fruit and shredded apples.  Pour into a buttered 9"x13" glass baking dish.  Let stand 10 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°.  Bake for 20 minutes then check for doneness.  Bake additionally if the top needs browning or it appears the liquid needs to continue baking out.  Serve warm as is or with vanilla ice cream. . .Lin

Warm Spice Bread Pudding

1/2 a loaf of good crusty bread

Cut this into large cubes and put it in a 9x13" buttered baking pan.  "Bake" in a 300° oven for about 45 minutes to dry the cubes out.

Meanwhile combine the following in a medium size bowl:

1/2c melted butter

1-1/2c half & half

3 jumbo eggs

2T pumpkin pie spice

2T pure vanilla

1c golden or Thompson raisins

2/3c raw sugar

1/2t Himalayan pink salt

Mix these all together and let stand until the bread cubes are ready.  This time is important, it will dissolve the sugar, bring the spice flavors to life and hydrate the raisins.  After an hour in the oven, cool for 10 minutes then pour the mixture in the bowl over the bread.  Sprinkle on a little more raw sugar and bake at 325° for 45 minutes or until the pudding tests for doneness, with a knife inserted near the center coming out clean.  Serve warm as is, or with a scoop of really good vanilla ice cream. . .Lin

Buttery Brown Sugar Egg Custard - or - Bread Pudding

Buttery Brown Sugar Egg Custard -or- Bread Pudding**

This is a big departure from a basic recipe I found to use as a guide. I wanted to make egg custard, but I also wanted butter in the recipe, so I made modifications and took all sorts of liberties to create this.  It would also be easy to turn into bread pudding.**

In a small bowl, stir together:

1c brown sugar

*2T flour – for custard

1t ground nutmeg (or pumpkin pie spice)

¼t salt

**3-4 slices of good crusty bread cut in cubes – for bread pudding (walnuts or pecans, and raisins can also be added)

Next, whisk:

3 eggs well then add

1-2T pure vanilla

Cook:

1½c milk to the scalding point, not boiling.

Basically what I do is, heat this until it starts steaming and sort of wiggling in the pan :o) but NOT bubbling. At this point, remove from heat and stir in:

2T soft butter

Combine the stirred dry ingredients with the beaten eggs. Add a little of the hot milk mixture whisking the whole time to 'temper' it – slowly raising the temperature of the eggs so as not to cook them. Continue adding the hot milk mixture a little at a time until well blended. Pour mixture into a buttered 8” baking pan. Bake as is, or put the custard pan into a larger pan then fill with water. This creates a more even temperature in which to bake the custard. I omitted this step.

Bake custard* at 400° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325° and continue to bake another 35 minutes, until a kitchen knife inserted half way to the center comes out clean. I turned my oven off after a total of 45 minutes then let it rest, in the oven, another 5 minutes or so before taking it out to cool. You may need to play around with the temperature. For instance turn it down to 300° but leave it in 40-50 minutes at that point, for a total baking time of 50-60 minutes.

Bake bread pudding** at 350° for 35-50 minutes, until a kitchen knife inserted halfway to the center comes out clean. . .Lin