Devine Bread Pudding

FoodInspired

A warm, delicious and oh-so decadent bread pudding. This is a bread pudding with an Irish twist (using Irish whiskey).

I don't usually make desserts however I had some leftover Italian Country Bread and some heavy cream, so I thought why not make this (you can see the picture on my Gallery). I tried my first bread pudding when I visited Ireland many years ago and fell in love with its simple beginnings. This is a larger version, which can serve 8 people, but last night I made it just for 2. If you are interested in learning about making this for 2 people, look me up on Twitter (@Ellen_chef) and I will write back.

Ingredients:
Day old bread or other pastries (can be 1 French Baguette, Italian Country Bread, Sourdough, Croissants, Pannetone) cut into 1 inch pieces (you need 3 cups)
1/2 cup dried tart cherries soaked in a 1/4 cup of apple juice (I use whiskey, but you can definitely use apple juice). If no tart cherries are available you can use dried blueberries, dried bing cherries, raisins, dried cranberries
1/2 cup of cooked butternut squash, cubed
1 3/4 cups of heavy cream (to lighten it up, use 1 cup 2% milk and 3/4 cups of heavy cream) 2/3 cup sugar (brown sugar packed, or granulated sugar)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
Butter for the baking dish

Beat the eggs with sugar, vanilla extract, nutmeg. Add heavy cream (or cream and milk if using that combination) and combine. Do not whisk. Add bread and soak well for about 20 minutes, mix in cherries without the whiskey. Butter the 9x12 baking dish very well including the tall sides, add the bread mixture and all of the liquid that wasn't absorbed by the bread. Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for 45 minutes until golden brown (leave for an additional 10 minutes if you like the top crispier). This should serve about 8 people. Make some home made whipping cream by beating 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and a small pinch of salt. Whip until light and fluffy with a hand mixer.

Enjoy!