Serves6 to 8
- Active time:15 min
- Start to finish:1 1/2 hr
ADAPTED FROM BILL JONES, DEERHOLME FARM, VANCOUVER ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA
August 2009
Make this delicate dessert in a shallow ceramic baking dish so that when it’s baked, all that’s visible is a sea of golden, toasty caramelized bread slices.
-
6
cups
thin baguette slices (from an 18-inch length)
-
3
whole large eggs
-
3
large egg yolks
-
1
cup
sugar plus more for sprinkling
-
2
tablespoons
grated lemon zest
-
2
tablespoons
fresh lemon juice
-
5
cups
heavy cream, divided
-
1
tablespoon
pure maple syrup
-
Accompaniment:
fresh berries
-
Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in middle.
-
Put bread in a 3-qt flameproof shallow baking dish (not glass).
-
Whisk together whole eggs, yolks, and sugar in a large bowl until pale and thick, about 1 minute. Whisk in zest, lemon juice, and 4 cups cream (chill remaining cup cream) and pour over bread. Press down with a spatula to help bread soak up some of custard.
-
Lightly sprinkle with sugar and bake in a water bath (
see Tips) until custard is barely set and edges of bread are golden, 40 to 45 minutes.
-
Turn on broiler and broil bread pudding 4 to 5 inches from heat until golden-brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Cool to warm, about 30 minutes (pudding will continue to set).
-
Just before serving, beat remaining cup cream with syrup using an electric mixer or a whisk until it just holds soft peaks. Serve pudding, warm or chilled, with cream.
Cooks’ note: Bread pudding can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.
