Almond Bread Pudding

I just made the most delicious bread pudding. I used 3 different recipes and then modified them to make it my own so I thought that I have to hurry and record it so I don't forget it. I had half a loaf of home made white bread that was going stale that inspired me to make bread pudding but the recipes all call for a loaf of french bread. I'm sure you can use what ever you have laying around. I was a little cautious about the sauce but in turned out to be the perfect complement to the pudding so give it a try!

1 loaf stale french bread or 1/2 loaf stale white bread

1 cups heavy cream

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 Tbsp almond extract

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

7 oz almond paste, crumbled

3 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F (160 C).

Cut bread into 1 inch square. Place in medium bowl and soak in cream for 1 hour. Push bread down and stir slightly to ensure it soaks in cream evenly. 

In large bowl beat eggs slightly. Whisk in sugar, almond extract, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg. Carefully add bread mixture, almonds and crumbled almond paste and mix carefully until the mixture is even incorporated.

Melt butter in warmed oven in a 9 x 13 inch backing pan. Poor mixture evenly into baking pan and sprinkle remaining 3 Tbsp of sugar over top. Bake approximately 40 minutes or until edges are brown and beginning to pull away from the side.

Sauce:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp almond extract

1/2 cup sour cream

Heat butter and sugar in small sauce pan stirring continuously until incorporated but not boiling. Remove from heat and add almond extract. Allow mixture to cool and then add sour cream. Beat by hand until sauce is creamy. Serve over warm pudding.       

French Toast Casserole

I made this a few months ago for a breakfast potluck. I brought home the leftovers and after my husband tasted it he announced that it was his new favorite breakfast. That is always good to hear :) Since then I have probably made it 7 or 8 times. I have found that it is a great way to use the leftover baguette that we did not finnish with dinner the night before. I have also made it with sourdough bread and it is delicious.

5 heaping cups of bread cubes

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

2 Tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp + butter or margarine

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350C or 160F. Lightly grease a small casserole dish (around 8x8in).

Cut bread into bite size pieces (if using a baguette I cut the slices into 4) and place in prepared casserole dish. 

In medium bowl, beat eggs. Add milk, sugar, salt and vanilla and whisk until slightly frothy. Pour mixture over bread. Let stand for 10 minutes. 

While sitting, dot evenly with small squares of butter.

Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over top of bread and bake for 35-45 minutes, until top is dark golden brown.

Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!