Freelance Friday: Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding

Need I say more? Really, I mean, who doesn't like bread pudding? It's gooey, crunchy, sweet, custardy, creamy, soft with a hint of tart. It's all things lovely baked into bready goodness, topped with cold cream and dreamy caramel love. If I sounds like I'm gushing, it's cause I am. It's a dessert that I forget about 9 months out of the year and then fall hits me and then I find every reason I can to incorporate butter and cream and carbohydrates into my daily diet. And then I remember the frozen baguettes I had tucked away in my freezer awaiting their fate as bread crumbs or croutons. But this time their demise was much more splendid. It dawned on me today that it is indeed bread pudding season. And what better a way to enjoy it than to cram it together with this seasons other favored dessert, pumpkin pie.
When I was little my mom used send me on bread pudding missions. She'd give me a few dollars to run down to Jean's Deli and get her some of their bread pudding. It was pretty traditional, hint of cinnamon lots of raisins, pipping hot with cold cream poured over top. I remember having to hurry home so the cream would still be cold and the pudding still warm when she ate it. I never understood why, at the time. What's all the hype over this mushy bread soaked with milk? I'd fill my pockets with penny candy (which soon changed to two penny and then nickle candy) and then run home, not even thinking to stop and sneak bites of the sweet treasure encased in that styrofoam takeout box.
Latter on in life Jean's Deli expanded and changed locations and mom took me there for lunch. We of coarse had the pudding and a flood of regret hit me. All those times I devotedly ran back to my mother with her untouched goods, I could have been hiding in the bushes, disassembling the pudding, figuring out ways to eat as much of it as possible without her noticing half the insides where missing. It was for the best, I'm sure. But still to this day I can't make bread pudding without thinking of mom, and, of coarse, bringing her at least two pieces.
The recipe I've adapted for bread pudding leaves you with a less-sweet bread, to compliment the cold cream and sweet caramely topping. The key is to use high quality dense bread with a hearty crust, such as a levain. If your bread is fresh, let it get stale for a day before starting your pudding, this lessens the soggy factor and helps the bread cubes hold their structure. I like to add nuts for some added texture, and instead of raisins I went with dried blueberries. This recipe brings together all the fall flavors of pumpkin pie with all the glory that is bread pudding...

Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding
Serves at least 8


1 Hearty baguette (cut into 1" cubes)
2C Half and Half
5 Fresh eggs
1 can Pumpkin puree
1C Brown sugar
1/2C Maple syrup
2t Pumpkin pie spice
1/2t cinnamon
A few grates of fresh nutmeg
1/2t salt
4T melted butter
1C chopped pecans (lightly toasted)
1C dried blueberries

One batch Chai Spiced Rum Sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients, excluding bread, butter, pecans and blueberries, in a large bowl, wisk well to incorporate (a blender will make short work of this, but do not over blend, you don't want mixture to get foamy). In same bowl, add remaining ingredients, mix well. Allow to soak for 10-15 min, less depending on how stale or tough your bread is. Spray or lightly butter a 9x13 in. baking dish. When bread is finished soaking pour melted butter over mixture and incorporate just to coat. Fill baking dish with bread mixture, pat down and smooth it out just a bit. Bake for 45-55 min. It should appear slightly puffed and browned and a tooth pic should come out clean.
Let cool for at least 15 min. before serving. Serve in a bowl with cool cream or half and half and a hefty drizzle of Chai Spiced Rum Sauce...

Freelance Friday: Asparagus and Chevre Tart

So, I thought I'd start this thing. Well, actually, I was asked to start this thing, where I spend my Friday freelancin' in my own kitchen. It's a little something for both of us to share. I'll go first... Then you show me how it went for you... okay?

Today I finally made the tart I've been planning on making since Sunday. Most people would call this a quiche, and it basically is. I call it a tart because I make a thinner version in a 1" tart pan instead of a 2 1/2" pie dish. Either way works out just fine, but my recipe won't fill a pie dish.
























Tarts are one of those things that have endless possibilities. From the simplest combinations of Swiss cheese and wilted spinach to roasted sweet corn and Dungeness crab. Start with a good crust, always use fresh eggs and cream and get creative!

Asparagus and Chevre Tart
serves 4-6

1c Heavy cream
1c 2% milk
5 Farm fresh eggs
1c Asparagus (chopped on bias)
4 Slices thick cut bacon
1/4c Chopped scallions
1/4c Chevre (fresh, soft goat cheese)
1/2t Salt
Fresh ground pepper
Fresh grated nutmeg

One batch pate brisee

Prepare pate brisee, allow to chill for one hour before rolling.
Combine cream, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a heavy bottom sauce pan, just till simmering, turn off immediately. In a blender, pure eggs, then slowly incorporate cream mixture, this will be your tart custard.
Roll out dough and arrange in a tart pan, blind bake with pie weights at 350 for 15 min.(I use a layer of parchment fitted snugly against dough, filled with dried beans, works great!). Remove pie weights and prick bottom of tart with a fork, return to oven for 5 min.
While baking your tart shell, chop bacon into bite-size pieces and crisp up in a hot pan, place on paper towel when crisp to cool and drain fat.
When shell is finished, you can start adding your fillings. Layer in the asparagus, scallions and bacon, then crumble chevre evenly over top. Carefully pour in custard to fill. Bake at 350 for 40-50 min, or until evenly puffed and browned.

Let me know how yours turns out!