Simple Bread Pudding or Strata

Ingredients

• 6 cups good white "farm-style" bread
• 1 quart cream or milk, or mixture
• 7 large eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar (more or less to your taste)
• vanilla
• Add any of the following: raisins, dried
• fruit, nuts, cinnamon, liquor, fresh
• apples or pears.....even chocolate chips
• if you wish!

Method

• Note: To make a Strata or "savory" bread
• pudding for breakfast...
• Leave out sugar and vanilla and add cooked
• sausage, onions, cheese, artichoke hearts,
• olives salt and pepper and any fresh herbs
• that would appeal to you.
• Place milk, eggs and sugar in bowl and mix with fork or whisk. Add bread that has been cut into 1/2" cubes. Best if can soak in frig for a few hours or overnight (even if you only have an hour or two to do this, it helps).
• Preheat oven to 350F. Place water in pan that will hold rectangular pan that pudding mixture will be place in. Spray the pan for the bread pudding with non-stick spray. Add bread pudding mixture. Place entire pudding pan in water bath in other pan and bake for about 45-55 minutes until skewer or knife comes out of the mixture clean.
• Enjoy warm or cold with a sprinkling of powdered sugar, brandy sauce or whipped cream.
• Orange OR Brandy Sauce: Place about 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar in a bowl and add about 1/4 cup of orange juice or brandy to make into consistency of icing. Spread on entire bread pudding (after cooked) or on individual pieces and place under the broiler for a minute or two until bubbly.

Notes

• Description:
• "This is a simple recipe that really defines what a "custard" is
• about. You will find the ratio of 1 quart of milk or cream: 9 eggs a
• good thing to remember."
• SERVINGS: 12