bourbon sweet potato bread pudding
I love bread. Who doesn’t love bread? And, I hate to see food go to waste. It’s one of those foods that is best eaten fresh, but it can be hard to finish a loaf without help. My eyes can often be bigger than my stomach when it comes to bread, so it tends to accumulate on my kitchen counter. I remember when I lived in Australia, they sold half loaves, which I always thought was a brilliant idea. Well, needless to say there has been bread sitting on my counter taunting me this week, begging to be soaked with love (and bourbon).
Bread pudding is one of those “throw it all together” dishes. I happened to have an extra sweet potato and a can of coconut milk laying around, which sounded like a pretty delicious combination. Turns out I was right! This is a short and sweet recipe that can be whipped up in no time; it’s the perfect treat to warm you up on a cold, winter day. Luckily we had a few friends over to help us enjoy it (and to take the leftovers home).
For all of my friends here on the East Coast, pre-heat your ovens, get cookin’, and stay warm through the weekend storm.
ingredients
8 cups cubed bread (this does not need to be precise... I used a french loaf and some whole wheat bread) 2 cups sweet potato, ½” dice 1 can coconut milk 6 organic eggs ¼ c bourbon 2 t vanilla 1 c maple syrup 1 t salt
directions
Preheat oven to 350. In a medium saucepan, simmer sweet potato in the coconut milk until it is soft. Place coconut milk and sweet potato in a blender and blend until smooth; transfer to a large mixing bowl. Whisk in eggs, bourbon, vanilla, maple syrup, and salt. Add bread to the bowl and mix until it is evenly coated. Spoon all ingredients into a lightly greased 9 x 13 pan or into individual baking ramekins. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and set.
suggested finishing touches...
- a scoop of vanilla or coconut milk ice cream of your choice
- fresh whipped cream with a pinch of sugar and vanilla
- whipped mascarpone, maple syrup, and toasted pecans