Dessert | Poppy Seed, Bourbon & Butterscotch Bread Pudding

I have a whole list of great excuses for not posting lately, but I'm just going to say Happy New Year!!! 2011 wasn't my favorite to say the least, but 2012 feels good so far. Really damn good!

I've made this recipe 3 times in less then a month. I don't know if that's something I should be admitting seeing as my roommates already voice their concerns about the amount of heavy whipping cream and eggs I've been keeping in the fridge. It's just sooo good. Really damn good! This dessert couldn't be easier to make and will literally have friends drooling and/or squealing like children with the first bite. And just when I go and get (even more) hooked on bread pudding, I find out that someone is opening a bread pudding bakery in my neighborhood. Rumor has it that there will be 108 flavors. I just, can't!

This magical recipe comes from the 2011 November issue of Bon Appétit. "Based on a dessert that Anita Lo serves at Anissa, this custardy bread pudding is shot through with poppy seeds for a stunning visual and textural effect." Seriously, MAKE THIS, you can't mess it up and you won't regret it.

PECAN, BOURBON & BUTTERSCOTCH BREAD PUDDING  |  Recipe inspired by Chef Anita Lo of Anissa

Butterscotch Sauce
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon bourbon

Pudding
1 pound day-old rustic white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2” cubes (12 cups)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Pinch of kosher salt
3 tablespoons bourbon
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Butterscotch Sauce

1  |  Bring brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking to dissolve sugar. Boil until mixture is syrupy and measures 1 1/2 cups, about 3 minutes.

2  |  Remove from heat; add cream and bourbon, if desired, and stir until smooth. Let cool. Let cool completely, cover, and chill. Rewarm before serving.

Pudding

1  |  Toss bread, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl and set aside.

2  |  Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in another large bowl until pale yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add cream, poppy seeds, and salt; beat to blend.

3  |  Place bourbon in a small bowl; scrape in seeds from vanilla bean (reserve bean for another use). Whisk to distribute seeds, then add to egg mixture, whisking to blend well. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture in bowl. Toss to coat well. Transfer mixture to a 13x9x2” glass or ceramic baking dish, spreading out in an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

4  |  Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove plastic wrap and bake until top is browned in spots and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 1 1/4–1 1/2 hours. Serve bread pudding with butterscotch sauce.

I was never able to get a good picture of the actual baked bread pudding. It always ended up being eaten as soon as it came out of the oven. No joke.

Dessert | Vanilla & Nutmet Pot de Creme

I had a real day off to myself. No freelance projects to catch up on. No chores to finish. Just a day to relax and walk a little bit slower then I normally would. I figured it was a good opportunity to get some early morning sunshine and run a few errands so I could take advantage of the afternoon light and photograph a recipe I've been wanting to try out. You see, my kitchen is located in the back of our house and only gets morning light; and seeing how I work 5 days a week, it makes it nearly impossible to ever cook during the day. Most of my food posts are photographed in the evening when I get home from work, making it nearly impossible to photograph without setting up a huge lighting system. I know that my pictures aren't the best they could be, but I'm working on it.

This mind-blowing dessert comes from Not Without Salt, a great blog out of Seattle. Of the dessert, they say, "This softly spiced custard is reminiscent of egg nog and is destined to become a new holiday tradition. It is lightly sweet, cool and creamy and can easily be transformed into Nutmeg Creme Brulee with the addition of a torched sugar crust."

VANILLA & NUTMEG POT DE CREME  |  Recipe inspired by Not Without Salt

2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
1 ½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
6 yolks
½ cup dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt

1  |  Pre-heat your oven to 320°F. In a medium sauce pan add the cream, vanilla seeds and bean, and the nutmeg. Bring to a simmer then turn off the heat and let sit for 15 minutes.

2  |  In a medium bowl add the yolks, salt, and sugar. Whisk until lightened and well combined. Bring the cream back up to a simmer. Turn off the heat and slowly add hot cream to the yolk mixture, stirring while pouring.

3  |  Strain this mixture with a fine mesh sieve to remove vanilla bean and unwanted egg bits. Pour this into four oven-safe ramekins. Place these in a larger baking dish (I use a cake pan). Place this into the pre-heated oven then pour water into the baking dish holding the ramekins. Bake for 30-45 minutes until the center of the custards still jiggle slightly when gently shaken. Start checking at 30 minutes then check every 5 minutes or so, until done. The custards will continue to set once out of the oven.

4  |  Let cool slightly then place them in the fridge to set – about 2 hours. Just before serving sprinkle with a bit more freshly ground nutmeg and a pinch of sugar.

Do not be deceived by the thin crust on top. The second your spoon goes into this light and creamy custard... there are no words! It's just that good, and definitely something I will make throughout Autumn and Winter.