New Orleans Bread Pudding

I bought my mom The Little New Orleans Cookbook a while ago for her birthday or mother's day, it's been such a long time that I can barely remember. I just know that it was a darling cookbook with tons of great recipes in it. Sadly since I've moved away I haven't been able to access it unless I email her for a recipe. Luckily, I was browsing a site and found the bread pudding recipe and figured that since I had leftover french bread from my trip to the market the other day that I would utilize it!

New Orleans Bread Pudding

Recipe adapted from The Little New Orleans Cookbook

1/2 loaf stale french bread, cut into cubes

1 1/4 cup milk

1/3 stick butter

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup zante currants

• Soak the stale french bread cubes in milk. 
• Melt the butter and add sugar, eggs, vanilla and currants. Mix all together with your hands.
• Bake in a greased 8x8 baking pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 

If desired, serve with hard sauce {recipe below} and a dollop or whipped cream.

Hard Sauce

5 tablespoons butter, melted

3 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 tablespoons bourbon {I used whiskey}

• Melt the butter in a small pot and add the remaining ingredients. Cook until smooth.

I used zante currants instead of raisins. I had some leftover and figured they would be just as good.

This bread pudding is amazing, it melts in your mouth with a little bit of crunch. The sauce makes it though, so it's a must have.

Ashley