Caramelized pear bread pudding Raisins are often the fruit of choice in bread puddings, but in my version caramelized fresh pears are used both in and on top of the pudding. Serve it for dessert or feature it at breakfast or brunch. Serves 8 Ingredients 12 ounces sturdy multigrain bread, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 tablespoons canola oil 3 large, firm yet ripe pears, peeled, halved, cored and thinly sliced 2 pinches of allspice 2 3/4 cups 1 percent low-fat milk 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar or firmly packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons dark honey 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves Directions Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Set asid e. In a large, nonstick frying pan, melt 1 1/2 teaspoons of the butter over medium heat until frothy. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the canola oil. Add half of the pear slices to the pan and saute until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle a generous pinch of allspice onto the pears, then transfer them to a plate. Repeat with the remaining butter, oil, pears and allspice. Arrange half of the toasted bread cubes evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the sauteed pears and then the remaining bread cubes. In a large bowl, combine the milk, eggs, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the honey, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves. Whisk until well blended. Pour the milk mixture over the bread and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes, pressing down gently every so often until the bread absorbs the milk mixture. Remove the plastic wrap and arrange the remaining pears on top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. B ake until a knife inserted into the center of the pudding comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving
(`´·.¸ (`´·.¸ *¤* ~Angelique~ (¸.·'´ (¸.·'´ *¤* --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
