Go Back
Print
New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding With Whiskey Sauce
Ingredients
For The Bread Pudding
  • 1/2 C. raisins
  • 2 T. whiskey more for the cook
  • Day-old biscuits or bread about 6 cups
  • 2 C. half and half
  • 1 C. whole milk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 C. brown sugar light or dark
  • 2 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 t. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 t. ground nutmeg
  • Dash of salt
For the Whiskey Sauce
  • 1 C. heavy cream
  • 1/2 C. whole milk
  • 1/4 C. granulated white sugar
  • 1 T. cornstarch
  • 2 T. whiskey
  • 2 egg yolks
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 T. unsalted butter
  • 1 t. vanilla extract
For Garnish
  • Extra whiskey to sprinkle over baked bread pudding optional
  • Whipped cream
  • Dash of salt
  • Sliced almonds toasted in a bit of butter
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
To Prepare Bread Pudding
  1. Simmer the raisins and whiskey in a small saucepan. As soon as the whiskey comes to a simmer, remove the pan from the heat and let the raisins macerate in the warm whiskey for 20-30 minutes.
  2. Prepare your stale bread by cutting it into 1/2-inch cubes. You will need approximately six cups of bread cubes.
  3. Put the half-and-half, whole milk, brown sugar, and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until blended. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and a dash of salt to the bowl. Whisk to combine.
  4. Add the bread cubes and soaked raisins (with their liquid) to the bowl with the milk and stir gently to coat the bread cubes completely. Let this mixture stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  5. Spoon the soaked bread mixture into a well-buttered 2 1/2 quart baking dish and bake your bread pudding for about an hour at 325 degrees F. or until the pudding is firm and golden brown.
  6. When the pudding is fully baked, take it out of the oven and set it on a rack to cool. Sprinkle the top of the pudding generously with whiskey if you like. Serve the pudding warm (my preference) or at room temperature topped with some of the whiskey sauce and a dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle toasted almonds on top of the bread pudding. Refrigerate any leftovers. (Alternatively, you can spoon some of the whiskey sauce into shallow bowls, put a piece of the warm bread pudding on top of the sauce, top with almonds and whipped cream.)
To Make the Whiskey Sauce
  1. Using a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk and grandulated sugar. Stir and set aside.
  2. Whisk the cornstarch and the whiskey together in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl. Set aside.
  4. Put the saucepan containing the milk/cream mixture on your stove over medium heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and continue to cook this mixture for about 3 minutes while stirring it frequently.
  5. Temper the eggs by slowly adding about 1/2 cup of the hot milk/cream mixture to the whisked egg yolks, whisking constantly while you do this. Be sure to do this carefully. You don't want to end up with scrambled eggs. Once this is done, pour the whole egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the milk and other ingredients and cook and stir for 1 more minute.
  6. Whisk in a pinch of salt, the butter and the vanilla.
  7. Transfer the sauce to a glass bowl and cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap. The plastic wrap should be pressed down to actually touch the top of the pudding. You want to prevent a skin from forming on top of the pudding. The sauce will thicken as it stands.