Lo's Bread Pudding Part 1

First off sorry the quality of the pictures are not the best. I used my phone so don't judge me too harshly. I was waiting for my laundry to get done today and instead of cleaning the kitchen (I can be a huge procrastinator at housework) I decided to take the leftover baguette I had and turn it into bread pudding. I was inspired to make this after having a conversation with my friend Lauren (Lo) about how much we like bread pudding. Especially when paired with an alcohol sauce like whisky. So there I was, standing in the kitchen looking back an forth from the dishwasher full of clean dishes to the 2 day old bread sitting on the counter calling my name and I knew instantly I was going to mess up the kitchen. Without a second look at the clean dishes I grabbed the bread, brown sugar, the vanilla sugar (I'll explain some day), salt, spices, vanilla extract, sour cream (I didn't have cream cheese), eggs, cream and milk and got to work. The thing I like about bread pudding is that it is so simple to make and so delicious. I did dress this version up a little with a sour cream middle so there is a surprise tang to it. Older bread that has time to harden a little is the best but if yours is fresh you can toast it up a little under the broiler. It makes the bread soak up the custard so much better than just straight up fresh bread. I beat the eggs a little with the spices and I will be totally honest I did not exactly measure the spices. I would guess that I used about a tablespoon and half of cinnamon, a teaspoon of ground ginger and allspice, a half teaspoon of nutmeg. I sprinkled in a couple tablespoons of my vanilla sugar and beat the eggs to break up the yolks a little. I added in the heavy cream and milk and mixed well with my awesome Star Wars Whisk. That's right I have some Star Wars baking gear. Be Jealous, you know you secretly want Star Wars cooking utensils. I looked down and that gleaming green light of the dishwasher seemed to be judging me since I was about to make even more work for it, but whatever dishwasher I have more important things to do. Now I'm sure you are all asking about the sour cream element. Not to worry I am getting to that right now. Sour cream always add a great element to desserts. From something simple like dipping fresh strawberries into the sour cream then brown sugar to mixing it up with a few ingredients to add a zang to things like apple pie and bread pudding. There is a place near Reno called Apple Hill filled with beautiful orchards and each one offers a little something different. There is one said orchard that makes a sour cream apple pie that is Ah-Maz-Ing so I know it works very well with the apple pie spices that I added to the bread pudding. I took the sour cream cracked an egg into it, added brown sugar and mixed it until smooth. I cut the bread into a small cube and mixed a tablespoon of brown sugar, vanilla sugar and cinnamon on a plate. I buttered an 8x8 glass pan. Now that I was prepped it was time for assembly. I put half of the cubed bread in the pan and added half the bread pudding mix (eggs, cream etc) and sprinkled part of the cinnamon sugar mix on top. I then added the sour cream mix over the top of that. I sprinkled a little more of the cinnamon sugar mix on top of that layer then topped it with the rest of the cubed bread. I then poured the rest of the custard mix over the top and sprinkled the rest of the cinnamon sugar over the top. Now here comes the waiting. It needs to sit over night for the bread to fully absorb the custard mix. Whelp there is nothing else to do but make a whiskey sauce. You thought I was going to say do the dishes but no I have more important things to do like make a delicious whiskey sauce to pour over the bread pudding when it is ready. Whiskey sauce is really simple, it is just sugar, butter, a little water and of course whiskey. You can use another alcohol like rum if you don't have whiskey. I just happen to prefer a good whiskey sauce with bread pudding. Melt the butter in the pan, add the sugar, and water and let it cook for at least a minute on med high. I have a gas burner so note heat settings on your stove may be different. Then pour in the whiskey and cook a further 5-6 minutes until it is a nice amber color and is thickened slightly. (it may take 7 minutes depending on your stove). If the mix bubbles up a bit when the whiskey is added don't panic it will settle. I let it cool and put it in a container for tomorrow. Into the fridge it went with the bread pudding and we shall see how this goes. Now you may think I might have gone to do the dishes but you would be wrong. I ate lunch with the hubby, while watching an episode of Shameless and now I am writing this while watching The first episode of The Witcher. Like I need another show to keep up with but, whatever I'm doing it. I may just have to binge this a little while finishing the laundry. The dishes will just have to wait. Well I think I have said all I can about Lo's Bread Pudding today so I bid you adieu until tomorrow. I'm off to go watch Henry Cavil be a brooding magical snack.