Janelle Nix | Nueces EC

Excellent for breakfast or dessert, this bread pudding is bursting with tart raspberries. It’s topped with a creamy vanilla sauce, which Nix’s mother has been making for decades.

Bread Pudding
1 loaf French bread
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 cup sugar, divided use, plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
1/4 cup water
Zest of 1 small orange
Butter for the pan

Vanilla Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Dash of salt
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

1. Bread Pudding Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice bread into 1/2-inch cubes to yield 5 cups of cubes and spread onto a baking sheet. Bake 7–10 minutes, until dry. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt. Fold in the toasted bread, coating evenly. Let soak for 30 minutes.

3. Place the raspberries in a bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water, orange zest and ½ cup sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cool syrup slightly, then pour over raspberries and stir to coat.

4. Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking pan with butter. Pour ¾ of the bread mixture into the pan, then spoon raspberries and syrup over the top. Add remaining bread mixture, then sprinkle on 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake 50–60 minutes, until center is set.

5. Vanilla Sauce While the bread pudding is baking, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in half-and-half, then set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and butter until blended and smooth. Serve on top of the bread pudding.

Serves 8.