Ok folks, it’s that time of year again… RHUBARB SEASON! I’ve been hearing reports of people buying rhubarb for the past few weeks and I finally got around to grabbing a pound of the stuff while on a recent market trip.
I find that whenever I buy rhubarb I don’t have a specific use in mind. I just go all googly-eyed when I see it, snatch it up and think about a plan later. So far that strategy has worked for me. This time around (as per usual) I wanted to make something that I hadn’t made before. I’ve made tarts, and pudding cakes and country cakes so those were all out. A search for rhubarb recipes turns up a lot of compotes which I wasn’t really feeling. That’s when I stumbled across this recipe for bread pudding! I was totally on board… until while grocery shopping I didn’t feel like going all the way. Since I’m moving I hate the idea of buying stuff that I won’t consume over the next 2+ months which is why I didn’t want to buy raspberry preserves. Well that and also the snob in me wish I had homemade raspberry preserves on hand. I also for some reason didn’t feel like buying whipping cream… that one I can’t explain.
So with about 3/4 of the ingredients secured for that recipe I decided to flip the script and try something new. I was intrigued by this recipe and decided to adapt it somewhat. It pretty much had me at whiskey sauce. What I ended up doing was a mishmash of ingredients and techniques from both recipes to make the ultimate rhubarb bread pudding.
I started off by soaking slices of challah (or as I say it in my head… HOLLLAAAAA) in a gingery custard for about two hours. Then I mixed the bread with rhubarb, strawberries and sugar and baked that ish up. When it was all puffy and golden brown I let it sit while whipping up a buttery brandy sauce.
The results were amazing. Why have I been sleeping on bread pudding? It is goodness in a bowl. It’s all warm and soft and sweet with bits of fruit in it. AND I get to pour booze over it? Sign. Me. Up.
Gingery Rhubarb and Strawberry Bread Pudding with Brandy Sauce
Bread Pudding
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
5 cups day-old challah bread (or brioche), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 pound fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Brandy Sauce
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons half-and-half
2 tablespoons brandy
Pinch of salt
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, half-and-half, 1/4 cup of the sugar, ginger, vanilla, and salt. Mix the bread into the egg mixture and let it rest covered in the fridge for at least 30 minutes up to 2 hours. Be sure to push the bread down so that each piece gets covered in the egg mixture.
Preheat the oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch-square baking pan. Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, and the cinnamon in a bowl. Carefully mix the rhubarb mixture into the bread mixture and then pour into prepared pan. Bake until golden brown and slightly puffed, 55 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for about 30 minutes.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and then whisk in the sugar, half-and-half, brandy, and salt. Allow the mixture to simmer and stir often until the sauce has thickened (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and serve oveBring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Serve sauce drizzled over bread pudding.
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Hi there. Great blog. I discovered it while at the dog park of all places! A fellow dog owner was giving away fresh arugula from his garden. He had more than he and his family could use. I mentioned I had a food blog and he said that his daughter’s friend (that’s you) has a food blog too. So here I am. The arugula was lovely too. Amazing what you can learn at the dog park!
Thanks for stopping by!! Your blog is lovely