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I have a terrible foodie secret.
I have never really liked bread pudding. There. It’s out. You know.
Bread pudding has always just seemed heavy, dense, soggy, and icky to me. And please, the raisins? Ugh. They soak up fluid and the texture just makes me gag. It has been my dirty little secret for years – after all, all foodies love bread pudding, right?
Well, bread pudding haters of the world take heart. I have created this fine little number… no need to worry about weirdly textured raisins, or bland, soggy bread.
First of all, it is made with a rich banana bread laden (and I mean laden) with chocolate chips and pecans. The bread is cubed and toasted and then a rich french style custard is poured over it and the whole thing is baked in a bain marie for added smooth, custardy texture. When it comes out of the oven you have not-soggy chunks of banana bread cuddled in creamy custard. Doesn’t that sound amazing?
Of course it does. But that’s not all.
Once you are ready to eat the banana bread pudding you will skillfully pour a warm, rich caramel sauce over it. Not just any caramel sauce, mind you. No, indeedy!
A smooth, luxuriously rich caramel sauce with a nice glugg of Jack Daniels in it. And as the southern grandmother that I never had used to say…. “Glory!”
It is really good.
Really, really good.
Best of all – you will have quite a lot of the sauce left. You can keep it in your refrigerator and use it over ice cream. Or to stick a spoon in when the day is particularly stressful – you know what I am talking about.
This dessert is not a dessert to impress your mother-in-law or the boss with – save it for the people you really like.
The banana bread recipe I used was my Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. The rest of the ingredients are pretty standard for bread pudding – but the it’s the way you put them together.
And once you get the caramel sauce on top?
Try it – and let me know what your response – because I am thinkin’ you are going to have an opinion for sure.
A rich bread pudding with the flavor of banana, pecan and chocolate. For extra delicious-ness pour a generous pool of warm, Jack Daniels caramel sauce over the top.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf banana bread made with 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans
- 2 eggs
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/2 c melted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/3 cup cream
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Jack Daniels Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Cut the banana bread into cubes and lay on a cookie sheet in a single layer.
- Toast in a 325F oven, turning frequently, until there is a crust on all sides of the cube. This will take about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, beat the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until light.
- Add the cream and half and half (light cream) and whisk until well blended.
- Whisk in the melted butter, vanilla, and salt.
- Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.
- Add the bread cubes and pour the egg mixture over all.
- Cover with aluminum foil.
- Place in a larger pan and pour boiling water in the larger pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the square pan. (creating a bain marie)
- Bake for 30 minutes at 325F. Remove the foil and bake 20 to 30 minutes more, or until done.
- Serve warm with warm caramel sauce.
Notes:
Nutrition information is without the sauce.
A rich caramel sauce with the warm flavor of Jack Daniels whiskey.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2?3; cup water
- 1/2 tablespoon corn syrup
- 1/2 cup butter , cut into tablespoon size pieces.
- ¼ cup Jack Daniels Whiskey
- 1/4 c heavy cream
Instructions
- Combine sugar and water in a pan.
- Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
- Add corn syrup
- Let come to boil and allow the sugar to turn a dark golden brown. Do not stir during this time.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the butter one tablespoon at a time.
- Allow the mixture to cool slightly, about 5 minutes at most.
- Whisk in the cream and Jack Daniels until smooth.
- Serve warm over puddings, ice cream, etc.
- Will keep in the refrigerator in a tightly covered jar for two weeks.
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