today is a busy day in my town
fans of alabama and texas are filling the streets
in droves
in hopes that their team
will take home the ultimate college football prize
the BCS Championship
(insert whoo hoo here)
and it got me thinking
there are all sorts of bowls
fiesta, rose, orange....
why no bread bowl?
where is pillsbury, or webber or even
san francisco sour dough company
they need a bowl
everybody likes a double entendre
and clam chowder in an edible container
come on boys
we want a bread bowl
and the participants can be
not the best teams
but perhaps the teams with the best uniforms
or some other characteristic
like good hygiene
so in an effort to celebrate my launch of
my Bread Bowl campaign
i give you
bread and butter pudding
a breakfast for champions
for two
(if you are using as a dessert rather than for breakfast, you might want to sweeten it up a bit and eliminate the maple syrup)
leftover bread or just staling bread (not hard as a rock)
unsalted butter
1/2 cup half and half or milk
1 extra large egg
pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp brown sugar + more for dusting
maple syrup
spices--cinnamon or nutmeg or cardamom--your favorite--a small pinch
i added some dried cherries and toasted walnuts
Spread a very thin layer of butter on each piece of bread you are using. Both sides if you are feeling generous. Lightly pack into a 8 oz ramekin for individual servings--while tucking in the cranberries and walnuts. In a bowl mix together the half and half or milk, egg, vanilla, salt and sugar. Pour over the bread and press to help the bread absorb. You can add more bread if you like, then add more of the liquid mixture. Let sit about 10 minutes or overnight in the fridge so the milk absorbs. Before baking, sprinkle just a little bit of brown sugar on top and then place in a preheated 350 oven.
Bake until it is puffed up and hot in the middle. I take a metal skewer or thin knife and poke the middle. I pull it out and see if it is piping hot...if it is, then i figure its baked. Pull from oven and generously pour maple syrup over the top. If you don't want to do this..add a bit more sugar to your milk and egg mixture.