Bread Pudding with Caramel-Mascarpone Cream
I know that bread is currently the devil in this gluten-free world, but, if you don’t have a gluten intolerance, this Bread Pudding with Caramel-Mascarpone Cream that I found 20 years ago in Gourmet Magazine is worth the indulgence. Perfect for a holiday dinner; bonus points that it can be made ahead!
INGREDIENTS
For the Bread Pudding:
About a loaf (depending on size) of brioche, challah, or other egg bread, crusts removed and the bread cut into ½ inch cubes (about 3 cups)
½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 vanilla bean
2-1/4 cups heavy cream
2-1/4 cups milk
6 large eggs
For the Caramel-Mascarpone Cream
¾ cup sugar
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
1 cup mascarpone
PROCEDURE
Make the bread pudding: In a large bowl, toss the bread well with the butter, 1 Tablespoon of the sugar, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, transfer it to a baking sheet, and toast it in the middle of a preheated 350 oven for 8-10 minutes, or until it’s golden brown.
In a small bowl stir together 1 Tablespoon of the remaining sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, sprinkle the cinnamon mixture into a buttered 8-inch square glass baking dish, coating the bottom and sides, and transfer the bread to the baking dish.
Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape the seeds from the pod, and in a heavy saucepan combine the seeds and the pod with the cream and the milk. Bring the mixture just to a boil, stirring, and remove the pan from the heat.
In a large heatproof bowl whisk the eggs together with the remaining 1 cup sugar and add the scalded cream mixture in a stream, whisking constantly. Strain the custard through a sieve over the bread and let the bread mixture stand, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for 30 minutes, or until the bread is soft. The bread pudding may be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.
Set the baking dish in a larger pan, cover it with foil, and add enough hot water to the larger pan to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
Bake the bread pudding in the middle of a preheated 300 oven for 1 hour, remove the foil, and bake the bread pudding for 30 minutes more, or until it is golden brown and the center is barely set. Remove the baking dish from the pan carefully and let the bread pudding cool slightly.
Make the caramel-mascarpone cream while the bread pudding is baking: In a dry heavy saucepan cook the sugar over moderately high heat, stirring with a fork, until it is melted completely and turns a golden caramel. Add ½ cup of the cream carefully (the mixture will bubble violently) and stir the caramel until it is combined well.
Boil the caramel for 15 seconds, transfer the pan to a rack, and let the caramel cool to lukewarm.
In a bowl with an electric mixer beat mascarpone until it is smooth, add the remaining ¾ cup cream slowly, beating until the mixture holds stiff peaks, and add the caramel, beating until the mixture is combined well.
Cut the pudding into squares and serve it warm or at room temperature with the caramel-mascarpone cream. Serves 6-8.