Sinfully Easy Caramel Bread Pudding

Caramel bread pudding.

I am really enjoying my new cookbook, Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts by Alice Medrich.  I've made two of her desserts already: The Chocolate and White Bread Pudding and the Chocolate-Walnut Torte.  I had some Dulce de Leche from Stonewall Kitchen left over from another dish,  and I decided to use this rich caramel sauce to make a second bread pudding by tweaking Medrich's recipe for Chocolate/White Bread Pudding.

Lightly toasted bread and Dulce de Leche sauce.

Spread sauce on one side of each slice of bread.

I lightly toasted 7 slices of Pepperidge Farm white sandwich bread to dry it out so it would soak up the custard.  If you have stale bread that would work well too.  I spread the dulce de leche (caramel sauce) on one side of each slice of bread and cut the slices into quarters.

Ready for custard to be added.

I then arranged the slices, caramel side up, in an 8-inch square, buttered dish.   The pieces are crowded and almost standing on end.  I had a few maple-glazed pecans that I had prepared for another dish, so I finely chopped these and sprinkled 1/4 cup of these over the bread slices. 

Make the custard:
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 3/4  teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups whole milk

Whisk all the ingredients together and strain the mixture over the bread.  Cover the pudding with a plastic wrap, put another baking dish on top to submerge the bread and let stand for 20 minutes or until the bread has absorbed the liquid.

Add custard.

Cover with plastic wrap and put another dish on top until bread absorbs custard.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Put a kettle of water on to boil.

Uncover the pudding once the liquid is absorbed and brush the exposed edges of the bread with 1 tablespoon of melted butter.  Put the baking dish in a larger pan and place in the oven.  Pull out the rack and pour boiling water into the larger pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the pudding comes out free of custard.

Baking pan in another pan for water bath.

Out of the oven.

Remove the baking dish from the water bath and let it cool.  This is wonderful served warm or at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold.   After refrigerating, you can reheat in the microwave on medium power for about 15 seconds.

Caramel bread pudding ready to eat, and I did.

This is sinfully easy and sinfully delicious.

Springtime Tea with the First Lady of Chocolate

Alice Medrich reading from her new book Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts

Yesterday afternoon friend Marcia and I had a delightful time at Fearrington Village and McIntyre's Book Store where we attended a spring tea. Although tea and desserts were delicious, the highlight was meeting Alice Medrich who introduced us to her most recent book,  Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts.  

Marcia perusing Medrich's book.

Relaxing in the Reading Room before the tea.

We arrived early and had time to browse McIntyre's Book Store and peruse Medrich's book before the tea while we relaxed in the Reading Room of the Book Store.

Samples of desserts.

Samples of desserts from Medrich's book were served and although hot tea was available, because it was a very warm day most folks opted for iced tea.

Table set for tea.

I finished my iced tea in quick order.  It was a hot afternoon.

Lovely fascinator, lovely lady.

 The beautiful fascinator that one lady wore was very appropriate for an afternoon tea.

We each received an autographed copy of Medrich's new book Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts just released by Artisan Books.

Medrich signing books.

 You will find recipes— for soufflés and tarts and pies and even a torte or two— that you might not expect in a book meant for cooks in a hurry, cooks with small kitchens, beginners, or self proclaimed bake-ophobes, not to mention great cooks who just don't like to make dessert.  Alice Medrich's Blog

I can't wait to try some of these easy desserts.  

McIntyre's Book Store was kind enough to donate one of Alice's signed books for the Chocolate Festival in Robbins.  It will be available at the Silent Auction.  Come out on Saturday, you may win it.