Pear and Ginger Bread Pudding

pear and ginger bread pudding

Bread pudding is a dish that has been around for centuries. Cooks have always wanted to devise ways to use stale bread. 

As a basic principle, bread puddings consist of bread slices that may be used whole or may be cubed or crumbed, and are then soaked in an egg custard mixture and baked. Cooks may add a variety of ingredients to this base.

Pear and Ginger Bread Pudding adds, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, crystallized ginger and fresh pears to the mixture.

The result is “comfort food” at it’s best….nice as a warm or cold dessert and also mighty fine at breakfast.

Enjoy!

Pear and Ginger Bread Pudding

Serves 4 - 5
Inspiration Chatelaine magazine 1995

Ingredients

  • 6 Slices stale bread (french or italian style work very well)
  • 2 ripe pears
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 Tsp allspice
  • 1/4 Tsp salt
  • 1/2 Tsp cinnamon
  • 2 Cups milk
  • 1 Tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp finely minced crystallized ginger

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 deg F. Lightly butter 8 x 8 inch square glass pan or 1.5 L baking dish. Cut the bread into cubes. With a nice french or italian loaf, include the crust. Peel core and slice the pears. Place the eggs, sugar, spices, salt, vanilla and 1/2 cup of milk in a large bowl. Whisk the liquid mixture together. Stir in the remaining milk. Scatter half of the slice pears over the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with half of the bread, then the remaining pears. Sprinkle the diced crystallized ginger over the pears. Cover with the remaining bread. Slowly pour the milk mixture over top. Press down gently to submerge the bread.
Pear and Ginger Bread Pudding - before baking
Bake, uncovered, in the centre of theoven until the pudding seems set in the centre when jiggled or when a bread and butter knife inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 60 - 70 minutes. Serve warm or cold.
Pear and Ginger Bread Pudding
Covered and refrigerated, the pudding will keep for 2 - 3 days. The pudding can be reheated on subsequent days in the microwave.

 

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