Bread Pudding
This dessert reminds me of my mom. It’s soft and sweet and comforting. It’s a dessert that my relatives often made when I was growing up and one that I enjoyed then and still enjoy today.
Bread pudding was Dad’s favorite dessert—Dad being Trevor McLeod who adopted me and welcomed me into his family. He loved his bread pudding just as how he loved and supported me. I will honor him in his absence by sharing his recipe here.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
8 slices harddough bread or any dense bread
4 tbsp butter
1 cup raisins (more or less to your desired taste)
½ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon powder
½ tsp allspice
4 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1 cup evaporated milk
Note: You may use 3 cups coconut milk or any other plant-based milk that you have if you do not use dairy.
Instructions
Butter one side of each slice of bread.
Grease 9” baking dish with butter.
Tear the buttered slices of bread into small pieces and arrange them in a layer at the bottom of the dish.
Sprinkle some of the raisins on that layer. Cover that layer with more pieces of bread. Sprinkle raisins on that layer. Continue to create layers and cover each layer with raisins to almost the top of the pan. Top last layer with raisins.
Combine granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon powder, allspice, eggs and milk, mix until the sugar has dissolved.
Pour the mixture over the bread and raisins and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
Bake in a preheated oven 190°C (375°F) until the bread pudding is browned on top or when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10″ springform pan.
Rehydrate your coconut. Soak in hot water for 15-20 minutes to rehydrate, then squeeze out all the water.
Peel all the yams, sweet potatoes, and ginger. Set a box grater, zester side up, into a large mixing bowl. Grate the sweet potatoes, yam, and ginger using the zester. This is labor intensive but gives the pudding a great texture.
Bring a cup of water to a boil in a small pot on medium-high heat. Add in the allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla and let boil for 2 minutes. Once this is done, pour the spice mixture into the sweet potato mixture along with the coconut milk and melted butter.
Using an electric hand mixer, combine the ingredients.
In a medium bowl, combine the rehydrated coconut, cornmeal, flour, sugar, and salt. Then slowly add to the wet mixture, continuing to use the electric mixer at medium speed until combined. (Drain the raisins and stir them in if you are using raisins)
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for one hour in the preheated oven. Remove from oven after one hour of baking time, add the topping, and then continue to cook for 15 more minutes.
A wooden skewer inserted into the center should come out clean. You will see caramelization around the edges of the baking pan, but this will not be set like a cake. The consistency will be similar to that of pumpkin pie with a stiff filling.
