GERTRUDE'S BREAD PUDDING

Over the years, the owners of Gertrude's Restaurant have been very good to a charity called Moveable Feast where I once served as a member of their Board. They have always been very generous in giving us 50% of their income from our yearly event called Dining Out for Life. I've gotten to know the owners, the two Johns, as I think of them. There's John, the chef, who is the author of numerous cookbooks and his partner (now husband), John, who manages the business end of the enterprise.

One evening when I was having dinner in their restaurant and  moving blithely forward, as I tend to do, I had the temerity to invite them both for dinner. John the cook asked if he could bring dessert and I happily agreed. He brought Gertrude's famous bread pudding. Later, he gave me the recipe, in restaurant quantities: "...6 liters of milk , 3 pounds of sugar, 2 pounds of butter..." and so on. He laughed and suggested that I cut it into fourths for a dinner at home. Here, then, is John the cook's recipe for his memorable bread pudding.

GERTRUDE'S FAMOUS BREAD PUDDING

serves 6-8

 

For the pudding:

4 hard Kaiser rolls, chopped into medium-sized pieces

3/4 C milk

12-oz sugar

1/2 lb butter, softened

1 t vanilla

1/4 box of raisins

3 T dark rum

7 eggs, lightly beaten

 

For the caramel:

3/4 C sugar

some light corn syrup

water

 

Make the pudding:

1. Combine milk, sugar, butter, vanilla, raisins and rum in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through. Do not boil. Pour into a large bowl and add Kaiser rolls. Allow to sit overnight, covered and chilled, or for a few days.

 

Make the caramel:

1. Put sugar, a little corn syrup and a little water in a large saucepan and heat without disturbing until mixture begins to bubble. Stir with a fork until sugar is all dissolved and the mixture has turned brown. Pour into a soufflé dish.

 

2. Add beaten eggs to pudding mixture and mix well. Pour into soufflé dish. Bake in a 300 degree oven in a water bath for 45 minutes.

 

If you're uncomfortable with "a little corn syrup" and "a little water," just leave these ingredients out. You can make the caramel with just the sugar. However, when it has turned brown, you'll want to add just a "little" water in order to thin the caramel slightly. Just add the water and stir it in until the caramel loosens and is the right consistency for pouring. Be careful doing this as the caramel is very hot and when you add the water, the mixture will bubble up furiously.