Holiday Bread Pudding in a Crockpot

Yes the holiday season is upon us, and now matter how or what you celebrate one of the constants is delicious desserts. One of the all time favorites around this time of year is the classic Bread Pudding. Here are a few variations one can try to enliven your festive occasions using that all time favorite flexible appliance the crockpot.

CHRISTMAS BREAD PUDDING
9 slices Whole Wheat Bread
8 slices White Bread
3 Egg Yolks, beaten
1 1/2 cups Light Cream
2/3 cup Dark Raisins
1/3 cup Whole Candied Red Cherries, halved
3/4 cup Cream Sherry
1 cup -Water
2 Egg Yolks, beaten
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons Cream Sherry
1/3 cup Sugar
dash Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
2/3 cup Golden raisins
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 cup Whipping cream

Remove crusts from bread. Cover bread slices with paper towels and let stand overnight.

Custard: in a heavy medium saucepan combine three egg yolks, light cream, sugar and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat. Continue cooking until mixture coats a metal spoon. Remove from heat; cool at once by setting saucepan in a sink of ice water and stirring for 1-2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Cover surface with clear plastic wrap. In small bowl combine raisins. Place cherries in another bowl. Heat 3/4 cup sherry till warm. Pour 2/3 cup sherry over cherries. Set aside. Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes (about 9 cups). In a bowl, fold bread into custard, until coated. Grease a 6 1/2 cup tower mold (without tube). Drain raisins and cherries, reserving sherry.

Arrange 1/4 of cherries in bottom of the mold, sprinkle 1/3 cup raisins into the mold. Add 1/4 of bread cube mixture. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons reserved sherry. Repeat layers three times, arranging cherries and raisins near edges of the mold. Lightly press last layer with back of spoon. Pour remaining reserved sherry over all. Cover mold tightly with foil. Set mold in cooker - for a 5-6qt cooker, pour 1 1/2 cups water around mold (for a 3 1/2 - 4 qt cooker use 1 cup water). Cover, cook on low 5 1/2 hours or until pudding springs back when touched.

Meanwhile make the sherry sauce: in a mixing bowl combine 2 egg yolks, powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons sherry and 1/4 teaspoons vanilla. In small bowl, beat whipping cream until small peaks form. Gently fold whip cream into egg yolk mixture. Cover and chill until serving time.

Remove mold from cooker, let stand 10 minutes. Carefully unmold to serving platter. Serve warm with sherry sauce.
Serves 12.

Alternative: Remove pudding from mold, cover and chill. To serve, return pudding to same mold. Cover with foil, place in cooker. Pour 1 1/2 cup water around mold. Cover, cook on high for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until warm. Let stand 10 minutes, unmold and serve with sauce.



CINNAMON-APPLE BREAD PUDDING
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 apples, cored peeled, and chopped
* 3/4 cup brown sugar, divided
* 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
* 2 large eggs
* 12 oz can evaporated milk
* 3/4 cup apple juice
* 2 1/2 cups French bread torn in 1/2 to 1- inch pieces

Melt butter in bottom of a 1 1/2 to 2- quart casserole or souffle dish which will fit in the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Add apples. Whisk eggs, milk, and apple juice together; mix in remainder of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and the bread pieces. Place a trivet or aluminum foil ring in the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Pour 3/4 cup hot water into the the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Place the casserole dish on the ring in the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours, until knife inserted comes out clean. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

HOME-STYLE BREAD PUDDING
2 Eggs, slightly beaten
2 1/4 cups Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Salt
2 cups 1-inch bread cubes
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup Raisins or chopped dates
In medium mixing bowl, combine eggs with milk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, bread, sugar, and raisins
or dates. Pour into 1 1/2-quart baking or souffle dish. Place metal trivet (or aluminum foil shaped
in a ring to keep the dish off the bottom of the pot) or rack in bottom of slow cooker/Crock Pot.
Add 1/2 cup hot water. Set baking dish on trivet. Cover pot; cook on high for about 2 hours. Serve pudding warm or cool.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Remember to come back next week for more delicious treat, tips, tricks and techniques for your palate's enjoyment. We're all in this together and I'm pulling for you.

Mahalo.


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