The "recipie"

Anyone who asks me how I make something is never easy to answer. For me, it's a little of this, a little of that. When I was starting out in cooking, I was more by the book, till I gained experience and knowledge, and my tastes developed.
Knowing how to cook is part knowledge, part inventor. You take a recipe as a guide, as well as the practical, what do I have on hand. I hate complicated, fussy recipes where you have to have very specific ingredients, and are expensive, often not things you will use or reuse often. I also had to consider the number of mouths I need to feed. I had to up nearly all recipes to feed the mouths in my house. I am used to cooking for a gang; usually 10 mouths in all, and more if a friend was hanging around. Now that we are down to 3 or 4, downsizing the quantity is more of a challenge, and leftovers need are frozen or given a makeover. But I digress, the challenges of ADD and age...this is why I don't blog often.

Bread Pudding with Vanilla Custard Sauce

• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten 
• 3/4 cups sugar 
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg  *you can vary spices according to your flavor combo, cinnamon, etc. If I am making a apple compote for example I use a lot of the "sista spices":nutmeg, clove, allspice, cinnamon, so then I don't add much spice to the milk/egg base.
• 1/4 cup butter, melted 
• 2 3/4 cups whipping cream * This last time, I used a can of evaporated milk, flavored coffee creamer, and a touch of cream, sometimes, it is half and half and sometimes milk. I use what I have.
• 4 cups cubed French bread * I sometimes use croissants. I never measure cups of bread, I just use what I have and adjust the rest.
• optional mix ins: cream cheese cut into pieces, chocolate chips, or berries, apples diced, or nuts. Sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar or raw sugar on top for a little crunch and sweetness.
• top with Vanilla Sauce; for variations I use a caramel sauce, berry sauce, buttermilk syrup etc. 

Preparation

1. Combine wet ingredients, and cut bread into pieces. Lightly butter a baking dish, usually a 9x13 is adequate. Put bread into dish first. Pour batter over bread, and pressing lightly to coat and soak the pieces. Add your mix ins, over and tuck into the crevices and crannies of the bread. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon/sugar, or raw sugar. Cover with foil.
2. I like to chill this overnight to allow it all to soak together, and I love not having to make anything in the morning.
3. Bake at 350 for 45 to 55 minutes, covered with aluminum foil and uncover the last 15 minutes so the top can get a little crunch to it. It will rise up and get somewhat puffy.  Sometimes it needs a few more minutes of baking. You can see if the egg batter is still liquid or lose. This usually happens if I have added more egg/milk to it, so it just takes a little longer to bake. You can poke a few holes with a knife to create open air spaces to cook faster. Just don' t let the top get too brown, you want it gently crisp. Serve warm with Vanilla Sauce. 

For vanilla custard sauce:

1/2 cup sugar 

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 

1 large egg

 2 tablespoons butter 

1 1/4 cups light cream *This is also a combo use milk here too, and flavored coffee creamers that will transform your sauce to another level. There are so many options, my favorite is hazelnut, but there is also white chocolate and raspberry, creme brulee, caramel...

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

Whisk all the ingredients in a heavy saucepan; except vanilla. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.  When ready to serve drizzle sauce over each serving of bread pudding.