origin

A couple of years ago I had a marvelous realization: I loved good bread puddings. And this realization of course made me want to learn to make a good bread pudding. I searched for recipes of various shapes and sizes to find the key ingredients, timing, and baking. Then I had fun. It is a perfect winter dessert – not too sweet, but moist and warm and begging for a cup of coffee, tea, or milk to go alongside. The recipe was resurrected for Christmas dinner this year and enjoyed by all. This is an approximate recipe – modify it to your heart’s content.

ingredients

pudding

• 2/3 – 3/4 loaf of American style French bread (goal: a white bread that does not have a thick crust – you want a crust that will ‘disappear’ rather than become tough in the custard)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 4 small eggs or 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1+ 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 medium apple (honey crisp, braeburn, or one with equally good texture and flavor)
• Rum

topping

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 4 Tbsp flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

instructions

• The night before, put the raisins in enough rum to cover them, cover with a plate, and leave out.
• Cut bread into 1 inch squares and let sit out for an afternoon to dry the bread. (You can also cut these the night before and place in a bag to let dry. If the bread has thicker crust on it, cut the crust off of the bread as it will become tough when baked.)
• Dice the apple into very small pieces (approx. 1/2 the size of a raisin). You do not need to peel the apple. Toss apple with 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 2 Tbsp rum.
• Beat the eggs until they are thick and foamy. Add the coconut and cow’s milks, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.
• In a large bowl, toss the bread, raisins (drained of the excess rum), and apples. Place the mixture in a greased 8 x12 baking dish. Pour the egg & milk mixture over. Leave out for 30 min – 1 hr before baking, pushing the bread down with a fork or spatula to soak up the egg & milk mixture regularly.
• Melt the butter. Mix in flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Use your hands to spread this topping over the pudding in small pieces.
• Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes (until the pudding has set). Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 hearty servings.

Tags: dessert

Title: Balzac and the LIttle Chinese Seamstress

Author: Dai Sijie, translated from French by Ina Rilke

Genre: fiction

Form: paperback

Recommended: maybe

Thoughts: This is one of many books that I have picked up at used book stores simply because it seemed like it would be a good story; it was ok. The book tells the story of two young boys in China who are sent to the countryside to be ‘re-educated.’ They find treasures in hidden books, storytelling, and a young seamstress. The story and writing were both good, and yet I find that this book did not capture me and hold me in the way I had hoped. Maybe it would be better in the original French, or maybe it was just my mood. If you read this, let me know your thoughts.

Tags: balzac, china, fiction