Not for the Faint of Heart

February 6, 2012 Betsy the Baker

I have made bread pudding only once in my life and this was while I was working with the pastry chef at Alma (one of the most amazing restaurants in Minneapolis). I have never had much of a desire to bake it at home...until this past weekend.

Ben and I were heading to friend's house for a crab boil and I decided that this was the perfect dessert to follow the meal. Goodness, I could write an entire page on the delicious-ness of the crab legs, shrimp, mussels, and chorizo we feasted on...but I will limit my post to the bread pudding that we proceeded to devour after eating approximately 23 pounds of fish...each.

I need to be clear: this isn't simply a bread pudding, this is a bananas foster bread pudding which tastes exponentially better than it sounds. If any of you are still not sure about how good this is, salivate over this: cream + butter + sugar + bananas + more sugar + bread + rum...+ fire.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I cannot take credit for the recipe. Annie from Annie's Eats made this a few years ago and I was simply lucky enough to happen upon it.

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding
adapted from Annie at Annie's Eats

Make the bread pudding: Combine eggs and egg yolks in a mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium until frothy. Add the nutmeg, cinnamon, banana puree, and vanilla to the eggs; whisk until incorporated. Add both sugars; whisk until incorporated. Add cream... incorporate. Remove from the mixer and add the pieces of bread. Stir until most of the custard is absorbed.

Preheat oven to 350. Pour mixture into a shallow baking dish or a french oven and let sit for 30 minutes.

Bake the dish in a water bath (place on a large sheet and fill with water) for about one hour or until the custard is no longer runny.

Make the sauce: Heat a large skillet over low heat. Add the butter and brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved. Add the banana slices and continue cooking for one minute. Remove from the heat and add the rum. Return to the stove and tilt the pan to ignite the liquor. After the alcohol burns off, add the cream. Stir until fully incorporated.

Bread Pudding
3 Eggs
2 Egg Yolks
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 cup Overripe Bananas, pureed
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
7 oz Granulated Sugar
3 3/4 oz Light Brown Sugar
1 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
5-6 cups French bread, cut into pieces

Sauce
4 oz Unsalted Butter
3.75 oz Light Brown Sugar
1/3 cup Heavy Cream
2 Bananas, sliced
3 tbsp Dark Rum

Title of this photo? Restraint.

You Say Nougat, I Say Nougat

January 16, 2012 Betsy the Baker

Yes, the nougat inside of a candy bar is delicious…if you like the taste of fluffy corn syrup dipped in mass-manufactured wax. Let me put it this way, I would always choose one of my caramels over a Snickers bar. But I digress…I had been meaning to make nougat for a few weeks and finally got around to it. Here is a little background on nougat: it is simply a candy made with sugar and/or honey. The most popular variety is made with beaten egg whites and sugar and/or honey. It is bright white, chewy, and tends to include toasted nuts and dried fruit. Nougat can also be made sans eggs yielding a much crunchier consistency. It can also be made with chocolate or almost entirely made of nuts…let’s be honest, they all sound pretty good.

I decided to make the bright white, chewy version with pistachios and dried cherries. Not only are pistachios and cherries delicious on their own, they are also great together…oh, and the colors are gorgeous.

If you have ever made marshmallows, you can make nougat. There are three steps:

1. Cook sugar and honey.

2. Beat egg whites.

3. Pour sugar and honey mixture into egg whites while mixer is running.

The sad thing about this recipe is that the honey flavor was overpowering. Although the nougat was gorgeous and the consistency was spot on, the flavor was a little off. I plan on freezing the rest of the batch, cracking it into pieces, and adding it to ice cream.

Aren't they gorgeous?

Sugar and honey begins to melt.

The mixture cooks until it reaches 252 degrees.

It is poured into the egg whites while mixer runs.

Ta dah!

My Favorites

January 5, 2012 Betsy the Baker

New Year's Eve is not my "favorite" holiday. In fact, like many other people, I believe that it is over-rated and over-hyped and often leads to the celebrant being let down. Ben and I decided to forego a party this year and instead go out to eat at our favorite restaurant which, as it turns out, is also the place where we were married.

As opposed to simply posting a mildly boring recount of a wonderful New Year's Eve (which it was), I decided to indulge you with a list of some of my favorite things (which also means that I have tricked you into looking at a few wedding photos):

Favorite Restaurant: Café Lurcat

Not only do they serve a wonderful meal, they can also put on a spectacular New Year's Eve and, if I may say so myself, a fantastic wedding.

Favorite Part of New Year's: The Gerber, The Kuller, The Gerbler

My husband surprised me at New Year's dinner with the three drinks that we created for our wedding.

Favorite Chocolate Cake: Turtle Cake from Cafe Latté

I am suspicious of any individual who lives in the Twin Cities but has never had a piece of Cafe Latté 's Turtle Cake. And, please, do not try to convince me that there is a better piece of chocolate cake on the planet.