Bourbon Legend
My life for the past week has been bourbon-infused. During a random Sunday search of TV listings to veg out on, I came across a program devoted to Kentucky Bourbon. I have always been a fan of good bourbon and after watching 30 seconds of the show, I was hooked. By the end of it, I was way more educated and informed. And also, rather thirsty.

Though I do have a thing for bourbon, it is not something I drink often. This is mostly because to really enjoy a good bourbon, you need to take your time and savor it. It’s rare that I have the time to do it right. And, this week is no different. But still, I haven’t been able to get bourbon off my mind.

On top of that, Mardi Gras is this coming Tuesday. So, I have been thinking of a way to combine the two. What should I make? Is the classic Bread Pudding with Whisky Sauce, a New Orleans staple, too obvious a choice? You can easily make your own bread for enhanced flavors with the help of bread makers. And, there are plenty of bourbon BBQ recipes to choose from. But, that doesn’t scream Bourbon street to me…

Ultimately, I couldn’t find anything better to celebrate both Mardi Gras and bourbon than the bread pudding. Not that it is exactly a hardship to eat it. Bread pudding is one of life’s greatest indulgences.

A traditional recipe for Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce is feature below. And, if you’re feeling a little rebellious, you can try this recipe for Bananas Foster Bread Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream and Carmel Sauce from our archives.

Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce
Yields 8 servings

Ingredients
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (1 pound) loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup bourbon

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 ºF. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Make the custard
In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, butter, vanilla, and milk. Gradually add 1/4 cup of sugar and mix thoroughly until the sugar is dissolved.

Assemble the bread pudding
Place the bread cubes in the bottom of the prepared pan. Pour the liquid over the bread, mixing to fully saturate all of the bread cubes. Sprinkle the pecans on top.

Bake the bread pudding
Bake the bread pudding in the preheated oven until golden brown (about 60 minutes).

Make the sauce
Meanwhile, combine 1/2 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup butter, the heavy cream, and bourbon in a small saucepan. Warm the sauce over low heat, stirring constantly, until it is gently boiling.

Pour the bourbon sauce over baked bread pudding and serve.

Note
Leftover bread pudding stays good in the fridge for about 3-4 days but will start losing moistness after 1-2 days. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 ºF, cover the pudding with foil, and heat until it reaches a temperature of 165 ºF (about 5 to 15 minutes deepening on the amount of leftovers.)