Almond Raisin Bread Pudding.... is not just another bread pudding

By now, you are probably thinking "oh no, not another bread pudding recipe!" Well, just deal with it :) I had leftover bread from several packages and hate the idea of throwing this staple out the door. So I decided to make a bread pudding using raisins and almonds. You will be delighted that I did because this pudding turned out wonderful and highly recommended for breakfast or brunch. To top it all off, it's very simple to make. Instead of a thicker creamy sauce like Creme Anglaise, I chose to make a Brandy flavored sauce using Brandy, butter, sugar, and water. OK, let's get right to it and get our ingredients together.

4 cups of bread *
3 whole eggs
1 egg yoke
3 cups non fat half n half (or milk)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
3 tablespoons of sugar
1 cup of raisins
1 cup of slivered almonds

Sauce

3 tablespoons of Brandy
2 tablespoons of butter
4 tablespoons of sugar
1/4 cup of water

*use of old or stale bread including the crust or heel are perfectly acceptable and encouraged. Remember, bread pudding gives the opportunity of using what you might throw away.

Preheat your oven to 400 before you start anything. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and yoke until well beaten. STOP STOP STOP!! I want to take a moment to discuss something about the spelling of egg yoke. Is it 'yoke' or 'yolk'? Before you decide you are certain that it's one or the other, check the internet out and get confused. It's amazing that it is spelled both ways about 50/50. I know that one spelling is equipment used for horses. Can anyone be definitive? I use yoke!!

Back to our bread pudding. Once the eggs are well beaten, add the milk or half n half, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar, whisking to mix ingredients well. Take your bread and with your hands tear it up in pieces. Add them to the liquid and mix so that bread is completely soaked. Add the raisins and almonds and continue mixing. Let sit for about 10 minutes.

Pour the bread pudding mixture into a well greased rectangular bread baking dish and then sprinkle a bit of sugar over the top. Transfer to oven, turn heat to 350 and bake for 60 minutes. Once baked, turn oven off and leave pudding in while you are preparing your sauce.

The sauce preparation is very simple and quick to make. Start by melting your butter in a sauce pan on medium heat. Once melted, add the Brandy and lower your heat to medium low. Add the sugar and stir well. Add the water and allow the mixture to come to a slow bubbly boil. Continue to cook while stirring until sugar is well deluted and your sauce has a clear color. Remove from heat and set aside.

Take the bread pudding out of the oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. Periodically go back to your sauce and stir. Once pudding has cooled a bit, transfer it to a serving platter. With a knife, poke some holes over the top. Now spoon the sauce over the pudding, making sure that the top is well covered and is dripping down the sides. Let set for about an hour at room temperature so that sauce thickens and has allowed penetration into the pudding.

To serve, cut a 1 inch slice and spoon a bit of the sauce over it. You will love this bread pudding. Have it for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or even for that afternoon break with hot tea and cream. Enjoy!