Bread Pudding Linda Williamson's Style
Why I Love This Recipe
This is another good recipe from my Dutch Great Grandma :) who handed it down to my grandma who changed it a lil. Then to my mother who used my Great Grandma's way then to me who changed it a lil. LOL I'll just write the original w/ options for the other changes :) In the one in the pic here I didn't add the merangue I never do!
Ingredients You'll Need
1 loaf Italian or white bread sliced to fit in toaster
Butter
3 egg yolks (reserve egg whites for meringue)
3- 5 whole eggs
Milk aprox 2-3 cups (enough to fill the pan 3/4 full)
1/2- 1 cup sugar (aprox)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash of salt
Grape jelly
Meringue:
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup white sugar
Vanilla Sauce:
1/2 cup of light brown sugar
1TBS of flour or cornstarch
1 egg
2 TBS of melted butter
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 tsp. vanilla
Directions
Set toaster on very low position your not trying to toast the bread just dry it out!
Butter each slice hot, break apart in about 2 inch pieces and put in baking dish
In separate bowl mix 2gether well egg yolks, eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar and salt
Pour over bread cubes (make sure bread is mostly covered add more milk if needed but don't stir once poured over bread)
On bottom rack put down a cookie sheet fill another baking dish w/water and place on cookie sheet
Put pudding on center rack
Bake in 325 oven until lightly browned and fork comes out clean
Remove from oven and while hot poke w/a fork all over top
Spread generous helping of grape jelly on top poke a few more times w/fork
Top w/meringue put back in oven (take out water on bottom rack before returning to oven)
Bake at 350 'till lightly browned
Meringue:
In large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer until foamy.
Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture forms stiff peaks.
Tips: you cant make meringue in the presense of any oils or fats including oils from your fingers (do not touch the beater or insides of bowls)
Use clean dry glass or stainless steel bowls only!
Do not add sugar until you've already got peaks on egg whites
Only add 1 spoon of sugar at a time
After you think you are all done rub a lil between finger tips if grainy your not done
Meringue is done when you pull a spoon full out turn spoon upside down and it doesn’t go anywhere and does not feel grainy
*omit meringue and jelly and serve warm w/warm vanilla sauce
Vanilla sauce:
Whisk 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, 1TBS of flour or cornstarch, 1 egg, 2 TBS of melted butter, 1 1/4 cups of whole milk,and salt.
Stir in the vanilla in a heavy saucepan until smooth.
Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and the sauce coats the back of a spoon 10 to 12 minutes.
Pour sauce over warm bread pudding, or serve on the side in a bowl.
Options:
*omit meringue
*use raisin bread instead of white bread
*use cinnamon raisin bread instead of white bread
*add raisins, dehydrated blueberries, prunes or bananas
*add coconut
*add sweetened strained crushed pineapple
*use brown sugar instead of white sugar
*or use your imagination :>)
