The Search for the Perfect Bread Pudding: Bread Pudding III

I kicked off the taste testing with a recipe titled, “Bread Pudding III,” from allrecipes.com. I figured third times a charm, and I didn’t have the time or patience to experience the first two lackluster recipes that preceded this one.

I tried to stick to the recipes as much as I could, but there were some modifications that I made to this one because I just couldn’t help myself. Although the recipe calls for ten slices of white bread, I recalled previous experiences where sandwich bread becomes a bit vulnerable to sogginess, so I opted for Italian bread instead. I also cut down the egg amount from six to four to (hopefully) create a thicker, less egg-y consistency that I’m all too familiar with. Because I have a soft spot for dried cranberries, I substituted those for the raisins. And finally, per suggestion from a reviewer and the coincidence that Kelly brought home a plastic bag full of them, locally picked from the Ozarks, I garnished the top of the dessert with slices of pears in a wheel-spoke fashion.

Okay, so maybe I made more than a few modifications. Like I said, I just couldn’t help myself.

The recipe called for a bake time of twenty-five minutes, but one hour later and I was still punching the timer for an extra five. I’m not sure if this is because I reduced the egg amount or what, but after about an hour and fifteen (let’s be honest, I lost count how many times I upped the time), a knife inserted in the center came out clean and the top was nice and browned.

The smell and consistency of this opening recipe got me a little excited, and I found myself scooping out a serving before the oven was even turned off. I settled in on the couch and waited giddily for the dish to cool down so I could have the first bite.

Although the pudding was lacking that pop that I was looking for—it was more of a rubbery jab—the filling was smooth and custardy and the pockets of dried cranberries complimented the mildly sweet, cinnamon body. The pears on the other hand, had to be tossed to the side. They developed a strange gritty, sandy consistency while baking that assaulted the teeth when bitten down on. The texture seemed right on, with an almost perfect ratio of eggs to bread. The egg still seemed a hint dominant, so I can’t imagine what six eggs would have tasted like.

Overall, this recipe was a good start to my experience, leaving me hopeful that with some additional tweaking and newfound recipes, I’ll find my perfect bread pudding yet.

Original recipe here.