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Fig & Anise Bread Pudding
November 02, 2008
This is recipe is based loosely on Marion Cunningham’s Coach House Bread & Butter Pudding, but as Luan knows, I am prone to recipe improvisation—sometimes with success.
My version (not as rich as Ms. Cunningham’s) is built around the Pearl Bakery’s Fig & Anise Panini—with flavors to compliment this tasty bread. It’s a good use for day old Panini, and a perfect Sunday breakfast for this lovely fall.
Butter a medium size soufflé dish or casserole. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees,
3 Pearl Bakery fig & anise panini
Butter
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla
1/3 brown sugar
1 tbsp. molasses (preferably black strap)
1 cup milk
Start by removing the crust of the panini with a bread knife reserving the figs that stud the crust. Slice the panini in half lengthwise, top each with butter (as generously as you’d like). Cover the bottom of the soufflé dish with half of the panini (butter side up), cutting the pieces as needed to fill any holes. Dot the layer with figs reserved from the crust. Add a second layer with the remaining bread.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar and molasses. Heat the milk just until it is about to scald (I do this in the microwave), and beat into the egg mixture. Pour the hot mixture over the bread and carefully push the bread down into the milk a bit so the panini sponge up the liquid. Set the dish into a water bath (a larger pan, filled halfway with boiling water). Carefully place the ensemble into the preheated oven. Bake 30-35 minutes. The pudding is done when the bread on top is browned and crusty and the custard is set.
Serves 2-3.
Note: This recipe can easily be doubled/tripled to feed your posse.
