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.       

Praline Cookies

Not too sweet and so delicious! These cookies never fail to please!

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Melt butter in a large microwave safe bowl by microwaving about 45 seconds. Add sugars, vanilla and egg to butter. Mix well and then add flour and chopped pecans. Drop small amount of dough onto baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. Cool slightly and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Nanaimo Bars

I have tried quite a few different recipes for this Canadian favorite because I occasionally loose the one my mom wrote out for me when I left home. This is my mom's recipe and let me assure you, it is the BEST! It turns out great every time and I always get asked for the recipe. They take a while to prepare but nothing tastes more like home then some good old Naniamo Bars. Let me assure you, they are worth the trouble so I usually double the recipe :)  

Bottom Layer:

½ cup butter

3 Tbsp cocoa

¼ cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

½ cups chopped nuts

½ cup coconut

In double boiler melt butter. Add cocoa and sugar. Stir until smooth. Take off heat and beat it egg and vanilla. Add graham cracker crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press mixture evenly into a lightly greased 9 x 9 baking pan. Refrigerate until firm (about 30 min).

Filling:

¼ cup butter

2 Tbsp custard powder*

2 cups icing sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp milk

Cream butter and vanilla. Add icing sugar and custard powder. Slowly add milk and adjust as needed so the mixture is still thick but able to spread. Spread filling over bottom layer and refrigerate again until firm (about 30 min). 

* I have had a hard time finding custard powder in the US. I have found it at occasionally in grocery stores and usually at the World Market. If you really just can’t find custard powder I have heard that you can substitute the same about of vanilla pudding powder but I have never tried it.

Top Layer:

4 oz or ½ cup bitter sweet chocolate

1 Tbsp butter

2-3 Tbsp milk (if using chocolate chips instead of baking chocolate)

In double boiler melt chocolate and butter. Add milk if needed to make mixture smooth. Poor over filling and refrigerate. 

White Chocolate Mint Truffles

Today I got together with a few friends and we tried our hand at chocolate dipping. I made two types of centers to dip. One was a simple marzipan (long chocolate in picture) and the other was a white chocolate mint truffle. The latter was a big hit and lots of the girls asked for the recipes so I thought that I would share it on my web site. 

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp light corn syrup

1 tbsp butter

2 cups white chocolate (I just used white chocolate chips but you could also use pistoles or a bar)

1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract (to taste - I didn't really measure)

Line 9 x 13 baking sheet with parchment paper or plastic wrap.

Combine cream and corn syrup in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Do not over boil!

Remove from heat and add the butter and chocolate. Stir until smooth and then stir in peppermint extract.

Poor onto the baking pan and spread into a thin layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. It can also be left overnight. 

Put mixture into a bowl and mix with paddle attachment for 30 seconds. You can also mix by hand but make sure you have a sturdy spatula or spoon because I broke two. Allow mixture to rest 5 minutes.

Use a teaspoon to scoop out balls and place them on plastic wrap. When all the mixture has been scooped, roll each portion by hand into a round ball.

Dip in melted and tempered chocolate and allow shell to harden.

Enjoy!