Before yesterday, I had never tried bread pudding. It sounded kind of gross. But, on the "let's clean out the fridge" rant, I found more than half a loaf of the cinnamon bread from 8 days ago, that was yummy but I had no idea what to do with it after making some toast.
Bread pudding is a pretty popular dessert here, which makes sense because it's not overly sweet. Costa Ricans don't generally like overly sweet desserts. Actually, they don't generally have sweet tooths (teeth?) like Americans do. Dessert is optional here, and actually hardly ever a tradition. Ok folks, raise your hand if you need a sweet thing after each meal? Even breakfast?
I know, 8 days is a long time for you northerners to leave food in the fridge and eat it. But here, it's not. I remember when I first started cooking I would ask my mom and dad how long dishes last in the fridge. The answer would generally be "Meat items about a day; vegetable dishes two to three, less if they have cheese." Guys, I hope this isn't going to kill me (hasn't yet! But who knows about that bacteria, hope it makes me stronger…) but I sometimes eat dishes I've made up to 8 or 9 days later if they've been in the fridge and don't look or taste funny.
That's something I love about Costa Rica; they're very waste-less people. I have never seen anyone leave even a crumb on their plate after a meal. They always find a way to clean out their fridge, use up leftovers, and be creative. Maybe that's because people are always arriving unexpectedly at their house with hungry tummies. Like me. But then, I need dessert after. Gustavo is so cute because when I go over to his house, he used to always ask me after the meal if I wanted a cookie. He already knew the answer.
Double cinnamon bread pudding
Adapted from Allrecipes.com
Makes one 8-inch square pan
This bread pudding isn't exactly what I expected; it's like a very moist cake. The top remains pleasantly crunchy while the interior is smooth and custardy. It's perfect for cold weather, the holidays, and this time of year. And did I mention that it's the easiest dessert I've EVER made? Go pantry desserts! And fridge cleanouts!
Ingredients
6 medium-thick slices of homemade cinnamon bread or purchased homestyle cinnamon or white sandwich bread
2 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
2 cups milk (skim is fine)
4 eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat your oven to 350F. Place rack in the center.
Break the bread into smallish pieces and spread evenly in the bottom of a greased 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Pour the melted butter over the bread and toss slightly to coat.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Pour liquid mixture evenly over the bread. Using a fork, press down gently on the bread that pops over the surface of the liquid so that all the bread soaks up liquid. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until puffy and golden. Serve hot or warm.
Comments