Lakes Region Foodie — Raspberry & Apple Bread Pudding

Memorial Day always reminds me of the beginning of the summer season at my family’s former resort on Squam Lake. The property was built as a private estate by a Pennsylvania Dutch man who had become a successful Boston banker. Once we were out of school it became our summer home. There was an evening dress code which required women in dress and men in suits, this applied to children as well which meant we couldn’t be in the public rooms unless dressed appropriately. Often we had dinner with our parents and grandparents in the dining room, although it was a treat, most of our meals were with the staff at a long table next to the pastry kitchen. We preferred to eat with the staff who were like our extended family. Lilian was an extremely gifted pastry chef and very generous with her knowledge. If she wasn’t too busy she would let my twin brother and I help her by giving us small tasks. It was the plate on top of the still uncooked bread pudding that caught my interest, she then explained that it kept the top layer of bread submerged to absorb the custard so it softens bread and infuses it with flavor. Fresh bread isn’t as absorbent, which is why she used dried. Without the plate encouraging it to soak up the custard, the bread is tough and bland, a very disappointing distraction to the custard. I have added raspberries and apples to provide contrasting flavors and textures.

Bread puddings are a great choice for a Memorial Day dessert. They are easy to make, transport and serve. This basic custard recipe with a little added flour to absorb the juices from the fruit is very versatile, substitute the apple for a wonderful New Hampshire peach, or replace the apple with blueberries and blackberries, and perhaps in the fall use rye bread with apples and raisins that have been soaked overnight in bourbon. For a more fine look, trim the crust from the bread. Egg breads such as challah and brioche are my favorite breads to use. Always use pure vanilla extract, otherwise leave it out. Imitation vanilla has an unpleasant aftertaste. When selecting vanilla it’s best to choose one in a dark glass bottle – the soft plastic bottles will contaminate the vanilla with a plastic flavor – and store vanilla in a cool dark spot.

Blending together the flour and sugar before adding the liquid ingredients prevents the flour from forming lumps. If you are using a foil or a thin metal baking pan, place it on a cookie sheet to bake so you prevent the bottom from burning.

When pureeing raspberries and blackberries which have hard seeds, always use a blender and not a food processor. The processors have very sharp blades which reduce the seeds to the size of fine beach sand, so fine it passes through a fine mesh sieve. This will result in an offensive gritty texture. A regular blender keeps the seeds whole making them easy to strain through a fine mesh sieve. To sweeten the puree, don’t use sugar which will make it very thin. Instead use cane or corn syrup which will keep the puree's viscosity. If it separates, just whisk it to re-emulsify.

Raspberry & Apple Bread Pudding

Serves 8-10 portions

8 slices of bread

1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

7 extra large eggs

4 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 medium apple

6 ounces raspberries

Cut the slices of bread in half diagonally, forming triangles, then cut each triangle in half to form smaller triangles. Lay the slices of bread in a single layer on a cookie sheet overnight to dry, or to dry the same day place the sheet pan with the sliced bread in a 325°F oven for about 15 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, stir the flour and sugar until completely blended. Add the eggs and continue to whisk until smooth and without lumps. Add the milk and continue whisking until incorporated, then whisk in the vanilla. Set aside until needed.

Peel, core and quarter the apple. Cut each quarter length-wise in half, then rotate a quarter of a turn and cut into about 1-inch square bit size chunks, set aside. Wash the raspberries in a bowl of cold water and set aside to dry.

Line the bottom of a shallow 2 ½ quart baking dish that’s about 2 inches deep with a single layer of the dried bread slices. Distribute the apples and raspberries evenly over the top. Ladle the custard over the top until the fruit is about half covered with the custard. Cover the top with the remaining triangles of dried bread. Ladle the remaining custard over the top. Place a platter or a few plates on the top layer of bread so that weighs them down into the custard. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile: adjust oven rack to the lowest level and preheat to 350°F.

After 30 minutes, carefully remove the platter or plates and set aside. Bake the bread pudding on the adjusted rack for about 45 minutes. After 20 minutes of baking, rotate the pan front to back for even baking. Continue baking until the center has risen, the top is golden brown, and when a thin knife is removed from the center shows the custard has thickened. It’s better to have it slightly under-baked, since it continues to set while it’s cooling. Remove from the oven and place on a rack to cook. Serve in bowls warm or at room temperature with pureed raspberries, softly whipped heavy cream or vanilla Greek yogurt.