Eats: Pullman Bread Pudding

Eats: What's Cooking in the Kitchen?

There are some winter days when you just have to put a bread pudding in the oven. Over the weekend, while the temperature hovered around the 40+ degree mark, the days were foggy, cool, and drizzly, which in my mind is perfect for a pan of bread pudding.

There are mainly two types of bread pudding:  super rich and soaking or minimalist and moist.  Depending on my mood, I like both but this weekend, I opted for a minimalist pudding that was still toothsome but light. Since the main ingredient in bread pudding is ... well ... bread, I looked around for something more interesting than simple white bread. Once I came across a freshly baked loaf of cinnamon raisin pullman bread, I knew my baking could begin.

Pullman bread or pain de mie is typically baked in a lidded loaf pan to keep the crust thin. The bread has a lovely texture when toasted and when made up into a pudding, carries the custard mixture beautifully. I was fortunate in that my loaf already had cinnamon and raisins but if you find only a plain pullman, I would strongly recommend adding a teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 cup of raisins to the recipe below.

This is an easy and delicious dessert which will scent your entire kitchen and make a winter's day just a pinch warmer!  Enjoy.

Pullman Bread Pudding
(serves 6)

1 loaf of cinnamon raisin pullman bread
2 1/2 cups of milk (I used 1% to keep the fat content down)
1/2 cup half & half
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Slice bread and lay in a buttered 9 x 12 baking dish.  With a whisk, mix the milk, half & half, eggs, and vanilla in a bowl.  Pour liquid mixture evenly over the bread and bake for 45 minutes.

Let cool and slice into squares.  Serve with ice cream or a dash of plain cream.