bread pudding

ingredients:

2 cups milk, scalded
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup berries
6 cups soft bread, torn into small pieces – challah
honey for drizzle

Place a clean kitchen towel into a roasting pan. Grease a large square baking dish and set it on top of the towel and roasting pan. Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a small saucepan combine scalded milk and butter. Stir until butter is melted and then cool until lukewarm. In a large mixing bowl combine sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, cardamom, nutmeg and salt. Beat the combination with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until foamy. Pour 1/4 cup of the milk/butter mixture into the bowl, mix and repeat until the entire mixture has been added.

Place half of the bread in the bottom of the baking dish and press it down. Add all the strawberries and then layer the rest of the bread on top. Pour the custard mixture over the bread, making sure to disseminate the spices that may have fallen to the bottom of the mixing bowl.

Gently pour hot water into the roasting pan with the towel, making sure to wet the entire towel. This creates a water bath – which will make the pudding cook evenly by steaming it. Cover the entire roasting pan/baking dish with foil. Gently place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes.

After 50 minutes, remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes to brown the bread. Rotate the dish halfway through for even browning. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving warm. To serve, drizzle with as much honey as desired and top with fresh berries.

serves 8

Substitutions/Additions:

• Try substituting raisins, dried cranberries, or dried apricots in for berries during winter
months. In the summer, pineapple and mango make great alternatives.
• If you would like to increase the sweetness of the bread, drizzle more honey over the bread
in the final preparation stage.