Well, I've had a favorite bread pudding for a while now and when I saw that Zorra of 1x umrühren bitte had selected a theme of pudding for this month's Sugar High Friday I thought "great! I'll make that lovely raspberry bread pudding!"
Until I realized I'd already posted about it. Damn. Then I thought I'd try to reproduce Annisa's very amazing Meyer Lemon Bread Pudding. But you know... Anita Lo's bread pudding is so perfect I just kinda didn't want to live with the inevitable disappointment.
Then (bear with me, this chain of thought WILL end up in the pudding, really it will) I started thinking about truffle honey because I've got a lovely little pot of truffle butter in my freezer which I whip out now and again to make little truffled egg treats with. ANYway, I found this recipe for Brioche Pudding with Truffle Honey from The Sweet Life: Desserts from Chanterelle by Kate Zuckerman, AND we're going to Chanterelle (mushrooms... truffles... get it?) for my birthday next week AND I've had truffles and honey on my mind... and OMG! it's like the universe is SENDING ME A MESSAGE!
Ahem. Or maybe it's like I've been making too many sweets and my brain has gone into sugar overload.
This pudding is amazing-- even before you've drizzled it with the truffle honey. It isn't elegant-looking but it will make your mouth sing. It tastes caramelized. It tastes deep and dark. It tates like heaven.I promise.
My Modified Brioche Bread Pudding with Truffle Honey
16 slices of brioche, cut 1/2 inch thick
4 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter, melted
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
1-1/2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
truffle honey, for drizzling
Preheat the oven to 350 F and butter your baking dish or individual ramkins.
Trim off the crusts and cut each slice into about 6 rectangles measuring 1-1/4 x 1-1/2 inches. Place the bread on a cookie sheet and drizzle with the melted butter. Bake until the bread turns a golden brown. Remove from the oven and turn the oven down to 300 F.
In a saucepan, combine the cream and milk over medium heat and bring almost to a boil.
While the cream and milk is heating, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, eggs, and salt.
When the cream is ready remove it from the heat and slowly, using a ladle, whisk enough of the hot cream into the egg mixture to warm it. Then gradually pour the warmed egg mixture into the remaining hot cream, whisking constantly. Set it aside.
Place the toasted bread pieces into the buttered baking dish. Pour the warm custard over the bread.
Bake about 30 - 40 minutes, until the bits of bread sticking out turn crispy and brown and the center is set and has a slight spring when touched.
Scoop a portion of the pudding into a dish and drizzle about 1-1/2 tablespoons truffle honey over each serving. Swoon.
Yummy, I would like to eat a slice of your special bread pudding right now!
Thank you for your participation in SHF.
Posted by: zorra | December 24, 2007 at 10:07 AM
I adore bread pudding. I'm gaining weight (and salivating) just from looking at the pictures!
Posted by: Karyn | December 24, 2007 at 12:46 PM
I love bread pudding but have never tried to make it at home. This recipe is definitely rich enough for my tastes--yum!
Posted by: JEP | December 24, 2007 at 02:49 PM
This sounds awesome! I really like anything with honey and the bread pudding looks scrumptious.
Posted by: Stef | December 24, 2007 at 03:23 PM
Truffle honey? Now that's something I haven't heard of. What an intriguing dessert. :)
Posted by: Adele | December 24, 2007 at 07:01 PM
wow Anne, that pudding sure looks different, and the ingredients are tempting me to try a hand at this:) I make bread pudding too but never tried truffle honey...thanks for the idea!
-Mansi
http://funnfud.blogspot.com
Posted by: Mansi | December 25, 2007 at 01:58 AM
Wow.. I can feel my arteries hardening just looking at that dessert.. but what a way to go! Fantastic recipe thank you for sharing.
Posted by: kiriel | December 25, 2007 at 04:49 AM
This pudding looks and sounds delicious - excellent choice!
Posted by: Cakelaw | December 25, 2007 at 05:36 PM
Bread puddings is one of the most decadent dessert ever.. but with truffle honey? That's beyond the conceivable! Wow...i need to go for a walk!
btw: Happy Birthday! Have a good time at Chanterelle!
Posted by: Zenchef | December 26, 2007 at 12:16 PM
Zorra, participating was my pleasure. And I mean that literally. :-)
Karyn, I've made a lot of bread pudding over the years but this one... *swoon*
JEP, if you try it drop a line and let me know what you think...
Stef, awesome is the right word for it. I love how rustic and unassuming it looks and then how outrageously decadent it tastes!
Adele, truffle honey is like crack. Once you've had it...
Mansi, let me know how it turns out!
kiriel, this is one of those recipes you stumble onto and then wonder how you lived without it.
Cakelaw, it was so good we licked our bowls. :-)
Zenchef, make it for the bossman and then ask for a raise. :-) Thanks for the birthday wishes! I'm looking forward to Chanterelle.
Posted by: Ann | December 27, 2007 at 07:51 AM
This sounds wonderful! I tried a new bread pudding this year which was a big hit with guests - pumpkin bread pudding with bourbon toffee sauce and whipped cream. It's baked in a round spring form pan, so it's very attractive on a cake pedestal. I'll get around to putting it on my blog eventually.
Posted by: Sharon M. | December 28, 2007 at 04:49 PM
Ooooh this looks good! I've never heard of truffle honey before, but it must be wonderful. I like the story of how you ended up making this recipe. And the blue and white dish is so pretty too!
Posted by: Anali | December 28, 2007 at 10:13 PM
Sharon, your pumpkin bread pudding sounds amazing!
Anali, this recipe will change your idea of what bread pudding is forever-- even if you already adore bread pudding. :-)
Posted by: Ann | December 29, 2007 at 09:04 AM