Ruthie was lovingly remembered by this amazing bread pudding she made every year.
She was a beloved friend of Nora’s and was the glue that made Nora and friends feel like a family. The group seemed to fall apart when Ruthie passed away.
INGREDIENTS:
- 5 large eggs
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 quart whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream, plus 1 cup for serving
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Twelve 1/2-inch-thick-slices brioche, crusts removed
- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a shallow two-quart baking dish.
- Gently beat the eggs, egg yolks, granulated sugar and salt until thoroughly blended.
- Scald the milk and cream in a saucepan over high heat. Don’t boil. When you tip the pan and the mixture spits or makes a sizzling noise, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. STIR GENTLY, don’t beat, into the egg mixture until blended.
- Overlap the bread, butter side up, in the prepared baking dish and pour the egg mixture over the bread. Set in a larger pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the side of the dish. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the bread is golden-brown and a sharp knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. The bread should be golden and the pudding puffed up. This can be done early in the day. Do not chill.
- Before serving, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and place under the broiler. Don’t walk away; this takes only a minute or so. Or you can use one of those creme brulee gadgets to brown the sugar.
- Serve with a pitcher of heavy cream.