Richer than Midas Butterscotch Bread Pudding

I became curious about butterscotch bread pudding after seeing it on the menu at John Harvard's in Cambridge, MA. Made it just after my 28th birthday, and we've been in love with it ever since. The original recipe, by Paula Deen, was a good starting place, but I disagree with the bread she uses, the nuts recommended, and the ingredients used in the glaze, so this is my take on it. It's rich, it's horrifically bad for your health, but it's also absolutely delicious and really worth making, every once in a while.

Enjoy!

Richer than Midas Butterscotch Bread Pudding

Ingredients

Pudding

2 cups white sugar

5 eggs

2 cups milk (I always use soymilk, and it's delish)

2 tsp vanilla extract

9 slices heavy sandwich bread - the more grains, oats, and seeds, the better - cut into crouton-size pieces

1/4 cup (half a stick) butter, softened/melted (do it in the microwave, no harm there)

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 cup crushed walnuts

Glaze

1 stick butter, melted

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup brandy (I use Christian Brothers)

Instructions

Pudding

1. Cube up the bread and leave it in a large mixing bowl to go stale. In the winter, I put the mixing bowl next to the heat registers, and it dries out right away. The bread doesn't need to be bone-dry, just stale to the point that it would be a chore to use as a sandwich bread.

DO NOT PREHEAT THE OVEN AT THIS POINT.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar and eggs, whisking until combined.

3. Add milk and vanilla, whisking until smooth.

4. Dump that over the bread cubes in the large mixing bowl and slosh it around with a spatula until all of the bread's wet.

5. While the bread soaks up the egg mixture, preheat the oven to 350*F. This should take around 10-15 minutes.

6. In a small mixing bowl, melt the half stick of butter.

7. Mix in the 1/2 cup brown sugar until combined. Dump in the walnuts and stir those around.

8. Dump the bread/egg mixture into a greased 13x9" pan. Use that spatula to move the bread around so that it's evenly distributed.

9. Crumble the sugar/nut mixture over the surface. It won't be perfectly even, and spreading it around isn't going to happen, so just do your best.

10. Bake 35-45 minutes, or until the top looks golden brown. It'll puff WAY up, but that's ok because it'll collapse while it cools.

11. Remove to wire rack and let it sit there smelling good and bubbling while you make the glaze.

Glaze

12. Melt the stick of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

13. Add the 2/3 cup brown sugar and stir until the brown sugar has melted (you'll know this has happened when there's no more scraping sound while you stir).

14. Add the egg and vanilla; whisk vigorously. I don't know if the egg will cook if you have the heat too high; it has never happened to me, but I'm terrified it will every time. Feel free to sweat profusely at this point.

15. Remove from heat and add the brandy, stirring until everything's smooth and nice.

16. Dump the glaze over the pudding, then move the pudding around until the glaze has covered everything.

17. Let sit at least long enough for it to cool, and for the glaze to somewhat set up. You can serve this hot or cold; it's really good both ways, but very different depending on temperature. Play around with it.

Enjoy!

~mey