1 c Sugar 2 1/4 c Milk
3 tb Sugar 1 c Heavy cream — or milk
4 c Panettone, challah or egg 1 tb Vanilla extract
Bread with crust — cut 3 lg Eggs
Into 1″ chunks 3 lg Egg yolks
Butter 6 to 8 ramekins and custard cups. Place the cups in a large
roasting pan. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the 1 cup sugar and
water over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar completely.
Wipe down any crustals from the sides of the pan with a brush dipped
in cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cook, without stirring,
until the sugar caramelizes to a medium amber color, 5 to 7 minutes;
the timing can vary. Carefully pour about 1/4″ hot caramel into each
cup; set aside to cool. In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes
with 1 cup of the milk. Set aside, stirring occasionally, until
needed. Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, scald the remaining 1 1/4
cups milk with the cream and vanilla. Strain this mixture over the
soaked bread mixture and stir gently to combine. Ladle the pudding
mixture into the cups, filling them nearly full. Place the roasting
pan in the oven. Pour in enough ot tap water to reach halfway up the
sides of the cups. Lay a sheet of buttered foil, buttered side down,
directly over the puddings. Bake for 30 minutes. Very carefully
rotate the roasting pan, back to front. Continue to bake until the
custards are just set and a toothpick emerges clean, usually about 10
minutes longer. Do not overbake. Carefully remove the cups from the
water bath to a wire rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Chill until
cold, at least 2 hours. Gently run the tip of a knife around the
edge of each pudding and invert each onto a serving plate, letting
the caramel drip over the top and sides of the pudding.
Yields
6 servings