Pineapple Coconut Bread Pudding

Some weekends call for dessert as breakfast. Feel free to give this one a try! The trickiest part of the recipe was making the caramel sauce from scratch. I've master many a batch of caramel and the process still keeps me on my toes a little bit. If you're too wary, a jar of the ice cream topping will do just as well. No one needs that high a level of anxiety first thing in the morning after all. The rest of the dish comes together in a pinch, though a decent chunk of time is needed to bake the pudding. This may not be the recipe for a house hold full of early risers...maybe brunch would be more appropriate. And really, who doesn't enjoy brunch.

The original recipe called for a fair amount of sugar in ADDITION to the caramel sauce. Really, between the sweet bread, the sauce and the sweet fruity flavors, this bread pudding really does not need the extra sweetness. However...adding in that extra coconut and sprinkle of nuts on top give the dish a wonderful boost.

pudding adapted from What's Cooking, Love?
sauce adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

serves 8

The Ingredients
for the caramel sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp butter, cut into 4-6 pieces
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt

for the pudding
1 lb day old Portuguese Sweet Bread (such as King's Hawaiian)
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 - 14 oz can coconut milk
2/3 cup crushed pineapple, with juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts, toasted (optional)

The Process:
for the sauce
Place a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and heat, stir occasionally using a rubber spatula. The sugar will begin to clump and melt. Once the all of the sugar melts and forms a thick amber-colored syrup, add the butter, one piece at a time, stirring until completely. Be careful...it will sputter.

Once the butter has been combined, slowly drizzle in the cream, again being careful of sputtering.  Allow to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the salt. Transfer to a heat proof dish and allow to cool.

for the pudding:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, and vanilla. Add the cubed bread and toss to coat. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the egg mixture.

Lightly grease a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Layer half of the bread mixture into the bottom of the dish. Drizzle with half of the caramel sauce and layer the flaked coconut on top. Top with the remaining bread mixture. Drizzle with remaining caramel sauce and sprinkle the pudding with toasted macadamia nuts (if desired).

Bake, uncovered for 35-40 minutes, or until the pudding is set and slightly puffed. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Top with additional caramel sauce if desired.

Quinoa Banana Pudding for Two

Most days, I cook as though I'm expecting company.  But in reality only two of us regularly take advantage of the bounty of our kitchen.  Usually not a problem.  The leftovers are always welcome for lunch or a rushed evening dinner later in the week.  However, when it comes to sweets, less is probably more.  We really don't need four dozen cookies lying around.  And a full pan of brownies is really far too tempting...rarely will they last more than two days.  As a result, I've been looking in to small portion desserts.  Cupcakes for two are all the rage on Pinterest at the moment...as are those single serving desserts in a cup.  Pardon my lack of enthusiasm over the latter.  Microwaves and I usually do not cross paths unless it involves popping popcorn or reheating coffee...

This recipe for some reason stood out to be scaled back.  I loved how Corrina tweaked a well loved tapioca recipe to incorporate quinoa. To date, my quinoa experiences have largely involved salads and sides that would have otherwise used rice.  The quinoa doesn't have the same gummy, slimy texture that tapioca is often associated with...a huge plus in my book.  I hate tapioca.  But I do adore rice pudding.   The quinoa had a firmer texture and a nuttiness much more akin to some of my favorite rice pudding experiences.  An overly ripe banana that had been stashed in our freezer offered an amazing banana flavor; no hint of the cloying artificial banana essence in this pudding!  The pudding itself was a tad sweet in the end.  But the perfect consistency.

I certainly had no shame liking this dish clean. 

adapted from Corrina at Veg Mother

serves 2

The Ingredients:
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup milk 
1/3 cup quinoa
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp cornstarch
pinch of salt
2/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 over ripe banana, mashed

The Process:
Whisk the coconut milk and milk together in a small saucepan over medium high heat.  Add the quinoa and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.  Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a separate saucepan whisk together the egg, sugar, cornstarch, salt, milk and vanilla. Place over medium high heat and stir constantly, bring the mixture to a gentle boil.  Continue to stir as the mixture thickens, about 5-7 minutes.  It will start to thicken very rapidly once it comes to a boil, be prepared!  Remove from heat.  Stir in the mashed banana and quinoa, mixing until well combined. 

Ladle the pudding into individual serving dishes.  Cover and chill in the fridge until firm...about two hours.   Serve with a dollop of cream and sliced banana, if you can hold off for such presentations.

Haupia

Happy Valentine's Day!  Tired of boxed chocolates and red velvet cupcakes that seem to be the Valentine's Day staple? This coconut pudding is a wonderfully light and tropical alternative.  While traditionally chilled and then cut into squares to serve, individual haupia can be prepared in heart shaped ramekins.  Or for the more ambitious, cut the chilled pudding into heart shapes for your sweet heart.  Orchids make a beautiful garnish.

adapted from the Luau recipe at Aloha Friends Luau

Serves 8 to 10

The Ingredients:
12 ounces chilled coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup + 2 T. sugar
1/2 cup + 2 T. cornstarch


The Process:
Combine all ingredients in saucepan and stir over medium heat until thickened. Lower heat and cook for ten minutes, stirring constantly to avoid lumping or burning. Pout into 8x8 inch dish and chill until set, about 2 hours.  Cut haupia into squares & serve. 

The Review:
Haupia turned out to be the sleeper of all the treats laid out before us at the luau.  At first most people avoided it, given its gelatinous appearance and slight resemblance to tofu.  Those that bit into the unremarkable white cubes were greeted with a sweet coconut flavor and a smooth velvety texture.  Guest's eye list up with wonder.  Word quickly spread and the unassuming dessert became a quick favorite.  With the short ingredient list, and easy preparation, this dessert is quick to become an impressive offering for guests.

Plum Pudding with Bourbon Hard Sauce

We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
And a happy new year!

Good tidings we bring
To you and your kin.
Good tidings for Christmas,
And a happy new year!

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding,
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding,
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding,
And a cup of good cheer!

We won't go until we get some,
We won't go until we get some,
We won't go until we get some,
So bring some out here!

We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas,
And a happy new year!

What better treat to end the year with than a classic Plum pudding!  This is not an old world recipe, requiring twenty plus hours of prep or that hard or track ingredient, suet.  Rather, this steamed bread and fruit dessert is a little less involved, but just as pleasant.  And the bourbon hard sauce may be just enough to coax the  carolers to move along...or perhaps enticing enough to encourage them to stay. 

adapted from the BHG Cookbook

serves 8-10

The Ingredients:

for the pudding

5 slices of wheat bread, tron into small pieces

2/3 cup evaporated milk

2 egg whites, slightly beaten

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup cooking oil

1/4 orange juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

12 oz pitted prunes, diced

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 1/2 tsp apple pie spice (cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

for the hard sauce:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 Tbsp bourbon

"In half a minute Mrs Cratchit
entered--flushed, but smiling proudly--with the pudding,
like a speckled cannon-ball, so hard and firm, blazing in half
of half-a-quartern of ignited brandy, and bedight with
Christmas holly stuck into the top."  

--Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol  

 

The Process:

In a large bowl, soak the bread in the evaporated milk for about three minutes or until the bread is softened.  Using a fork, stir the bread gently to break up the pieces.  Whisk in the egg whites, brown sugar, oil, orange juice, and vanilla.  Carefully fold in the prunes and walnuts.

In a medium mixing bowl stir together the whole wheat flour, spice, baking soda and salt.  stir into the bread and prune mixture until just combined.  

Lightly oil or grease a 6 1/2 cup tower mold or bundt pan.  Pour the batter into the mold.  Cover with foil; press foil tightly against the mold's rim.

Place the mold on a rack in a deep kettle.  Add boiling water to a depth of about 1-inch.  Cover the kettle.  Bring water to a gentle boil and steam for 1 1/2 to 2 hours for the bundt pan, or 2 1/2 to 3 hours for the tower mold.  Add more boiling water as necessary.  The pudding is finished when a wooden pick or skewer inserted in the center of the pudding comes out clean.

For the hard sauce, in a small bowl beat together butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes or until the mixture is well combined.  Beat in the bourbon.  Spoon into a serving bowl and set aside.

Remove the pudding mold from the kettle.  Cool the pudding for 10 minutes and remove from mold.  Serve warm with bourbon hard sauce.

The Review:

Pudding is a deceptive term...this is more of a spice cake.  But the pudding tradition is one of streaming bread based treats instead of baking. This particular pudding was dense, moist and full or spice and bits of fruit.

While it wasn't presented in all of the glistening glory of Mrs. Crachit's masterpiece, for the newbie pudding maker, and those tasting a steamed bread pudding for the first time, this version is a safe introduction.  Next year's maybe the more ambitious Christmas pudding...