September 24 2003 in the Charleston (WV) Gazette-Mail
Create top-notch bread pudding
Recipe has a high proportion of bread
Christopher Kimball
Editor, Cook's Illustrated
I often frequent a local Irish pub called Matt Murphy's for lunch
since it is an oasis of hearty homemade food amidst of sea of turkey
wraps and ice-cream-scoop tuna sandwiches.
They don't serve soda, their portions are huge, and their bread
pudding is what a Rolls Royce is to a Hyundai -- massive and
awe-inspiring. Since I already considered myself a bit of an expert
on this particular dessert, I asked the owner, Siobhan, for the
recipe and went into the kitchen to unlock its secrets.
Bread pudding has lots of problems, not the least of which is getting
the right proportion of bread to pudding. Many such recipes are
nothing more than baked custards with occasional bits of bready
flotsam.
Using my own recipe for Classic Bread Pudding and Matt Murphy's
recipe (I had an ingredients list but no proportions) as guides, I
began with 16 cups of bread, a large amount by any standards. (My
recipe calls for a mere 8 cups of bread.)
When baked with my standard 5 cups of milk/cream mixture, the pudding
was still too wet. I noted that the Matt Murphy recipe not only had
twice as much bread, it also had less liquid, so I ended up using
slightly more then 4 cups to achieve a drier, more toothsome texture.
Referring to my recipe once again, I reduced the eggs to just 4 and
brought the sugar down to 2/3 cup from 3/4 cup. I fiddled with a few
other ingredients -- vanilla and spices -- and then went on to test
the soaking and baking methods.
I found that a full hour of soaking was best (for an even texture)
and a large, 9-by-13 pan is preferred. I finally decided on an oven
temperature of 325 degrees -- hotter temperatures made a rubbery,
tougher pudding.
The best thing about the high proportion of bread to custard is that
baking time is less crucial and the bread can undergo more thorough
browning. (In fact, I bake this bread pudding until it is dark
brown.) The top, which I brush with melted butter, turns out crispy,
a far cry from the soggy texture of most similar recipes.
Even better, this pudding can be made ahead and reheated.
Patrons of Matt Murphy's often feel that the sauce makes the dish and
with a one-two-three-four punch of butter, maple syrup, bourbon, and
cream, it is no wonder.
When you serve this recipe, I recommend nothing more than a light
salad or consomme as a main course because anything more substantial
would not leave sufficient room for dessert!
Matt Murphy's Bread Pudding
For The Pudding:
4 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups plus 2 Tbs. whole milk
2 cups plus 2 Tbs. heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbs. triple sec or other orange-flavored liqueur
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
16 cups firm white bakery bread cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes
1 1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
For The Sauce:
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup light rum, dark rum, bourbon or Irish whiskey
1/4 cup heavy cream
Cook's note:This pudding can be made several hours ahead of time and
then reheated in a 300-degree oven for 10 minutes or until warmed
through.
1. For the pudding, whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl
until well blended. Whisk in the milk, cream, vanilla, triple sec,
salt and cinnamon. Add the bread and toss to coat evenly. Let soak
for an hour, gently turning with a spatula every 20 minutes or so to
allow the bread chunks to soak in the custard evenly.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325 degrees and adjust a rack to the
center position. Generously butter a 9-by-13 or an 8-by-12-inch
baking dish. Transfer the bread mixture to the prepared pan and
adjust the bread chunks to form an even layer. Press down on the
bread to submerge into the liquid as much as possible. Brush the top
of the exposed cubes with the melted butter. Place in the oven and
bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the pudding is puffy and dark
golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand until warm, about 30
minutes.
3. For the sauce, heat the butter in a heavy-duty skillet over medium
heat until foamy. Add the syrup and rum and cook until thickened and
coats the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream and cook for
an additional minute. Cut the pudding into squares, drizzling the
sauce over each serving.
Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Serves 6 to 8.
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