Cinnamon Toast Bread Pudding #SundaySupper #CookForJulia

Our Sunday Supper table today is honoring the incomparable JuliaChild and I´m sitting down to have brunch with her and this wonderful recipe that combines the perennial favorite that is cinnamon toast with a vanilla custard, resulting in a sweet and creamy bread pudding. A recipe from the great Julia of course.

Most countries have their own way of using leftover bread. Whether in a pudding, toast, sweet or savory, the daily bread is used to it´s last crumb. And most countries have their own JC; ours is of course Doña Petrona.

Bread pudding can be very good if done with the right ingredients and flavors. The combination here is simple, just like comfort food is, the kind childhood memories are made of.

It starts with white bread that is slathered with butter and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. It´s broiled so it becomes a caramelized toast. How can that not be good as a first layer in a bread pudding?

I used plain challah. I made one after the gruyere version, and it was perfect for this recipe, being a bit richer than regular white sandwich bread. So the caramelized slices of bread are cut in pieces and arranged in a neat pattern on a buttered dish. The `neat´ just keeps eluding me on occasions such as this. As I always tell you, I´m rustic, I´m all for the flavor, or so I tell myself.

Then there´s a custard to be made the traditional way, though the eggs and sugar are beaten to the ribbon stage, which makes this a very fluffy mixture. Maybe I went a bit overboard here, since I was broiling the bread slices at the same time that I had the eggs in the stand mixer, and when I added the hot milk to it I might, just might, have forgotten it for a few minutes, while the very dutiful mixer continued to do it´s job.

So yes, the result was a whole lot of yellow foamy custard. But the bubbles diminish, eventually. And when it was time to cover the toasts, the amount of custard turned out to be a bit much. So I was left with a cup of crème anglaise, for what are eggs + sugar + hot milk cooked over the stove but crème anglaise right? So I added a few tablespoons of bourbon to it and had the most wonderful sauce to go with the bread pudding.

I also sprinkled a few tablespoons sugar on top, after the pudding was fully cooked, and broiled it a few minutes. I think Julia would´ve approved, both the crunchy top and the bourbon in the sauce. I did, it was just the finishing touch it needed. This is a great brunch dish that will be a crowd pleaser.

I don´t own any of Julia´s books. Shame on me. It´s just an unexplainable thing considering the amount of cookbooks I own.

I found this recipe on this page on Epicurious.com and it appears in Julia´s Kitchen Wisdom.

We have a huge crowd at the table this Sunday. Check all of their recipes because they are as awesome as Julia Child herself.

Today´s SundaySupper is being hosted by Samantha from The Little Ferraro Kitchen. Go to her site for information about our 7PM (EST) Twitter Chat.

#CookForJulia Breakfast

Râpée Morvandelle by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings 

Croissants by Cookistry 

Cheese and Bacon Quiche by Tora’s Real Food

#CookForJulia Lunch

Tuna Salad Nicoise by Magnolia Days 

Blood Orange, Walnut, and Rocket Salad by Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking 

Croque Monsieur by Webicurean

Spinach and Cream Cheese Pancakes by Happy Baking Days 

Julia’s Chicken Salad by My Trials in the Kitchen 

Pissaladière Niçoise (Onion Tart with Anchovies and Black Olives) by The Wimpy Vegetarian

Provencal Tomato Quiche by Are you hungry?

Quiche Lorraine  Spoon and Saucer 

#CookForJulia Dinner

Bouillabaisse by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen 

Boeuf Bourguignon by Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence

Orecchiette Con Broccoli Di Rape and Sausages by Doggie at the Dinner Table 

Boeuf Bourguignon by Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks

Veal Stew with Onions and Mushrooms with Baked Cucumbers and Boiled Potatoes (Blanquette de veau a l’ancienne with concombres au buerre) by Kimchi Mom

Salmon en Papillote by Girlichef

Poached salmon with cucumber sauce by Katherine Martinelli

Lobster Souffle and Deviled Chicken- Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends 

Roasted Chicken with Julia’s Mustard Marinade by The Meltaways

Wild Mushroom and Herb Stuffed Chicken- Mama Mommy Mom

Puree of White Beans with Garlic and Herbs (Brandade á la Soissonaise) Avocado Pesto

Poulet au Porto by Family Foodie 

#CookForJulia Sides

Hollondaise over Blanched Asparagus by The Little Ferraro Kitchen

Scalloped Potatoes with Milk, Cheese, and Garlic (Gratin Dauphinois) by Home Cooking Memories 

Ratatouille by Basic N Delicious 

French-style country pate by There and Back Again

White Bean Dip with Homemade Tortilla Chips Momma’s Meals

Oeufs à la Diable by What Smells So Good?

Soubise by The Weekend Gourmet

Ratatouille by Cupcakes and Kale Chips

#CookForJulia Desserts

Cream Cheese and Lemon Flan by Juanita’s Cocina

Strawberry Sherbert in Cooky Cups by Cravings of a Lunatic

Creme Brulee by Wine Everyday

Mousseline Au Chocolat by Small Wallet Big Appetite

Peach Tarte Tatin by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Dark Chocolate Crepes by Family Spice

Crepes Fines Sucrees by Mangoes and Chutney

Pommes Rosemarie:Apples Rosie  The Daily Dish Recipes

Espresso Soufflé by Chocolate Moosey

Best Ever Brownies by In the Kitchen with Audrey

Orange-Almond Jelly Roll Cake by Mrs. Mama Hen

Orange Spongecake Cupcakes by Mama’s Blissful Bites

Orange Mousse with Greek Yogurt by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Wine Pairings: Relishing Food and Wine; Thanks to Julia Child! by ENOFYLZ