Pudin de Pan (Cuban Bread Pudding)

This dessert is like a cross between flan and traditional bread pudding. It is a great way to make use of any leftover bread.

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Cuban Bread Pudding

Time: about 1.5 hours total

Makes approximately 12 servings

Ingredients:
½ lb. white bread
2 cups milk
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¾ cup white sugar (for caramel)
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4 eggs
1 cup white sugar
4 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. cooking wine (vino seco)
¼ tsp. de ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. de cinnamon powder
½ tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. almond extract
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½ cup seedless raisins
½ cup toasted almonds
1 tbsp. flour

Prep:

• Preheat the over to 350°F
• Add the ¾ cups sugar to a small saucepan and bring to high heat. Once sugar melts and turns a golden brown color, pour into a mold (that can hold at least 6 cups) and coat it. Set aside to cool.
  

Directions:

• Slice the bread into about 1 in cubes and soak in the milk for about 5 minutes
• Beat the eggs with the sugar, melted butter, and cooking wine. Mix in the cinnamon, ground nutmeg, vanilla, almond extract, and milk-soaked bread.
• Coat the raisins and toasted almonds in flour and fold them into the mixture.
• Pour the mixture into the caramelized mold and bake in a bain marie for approximately 60 – 90 minutes, or until a wood stick comes out dry.
• Allow to cool completely before unmolding onto serving plate.

Notes & Comments:

• Nitza's original recipe calls for baking for 2 hours. I found this to be way to much time and the top started to burn after about 90 minutes. But I guess every oven is different. As soon as you see the top starting to brown, it should be ready.
• Any mold can be used, but I believe a rectangular one is most traditional and easiest to serve with.
• This rises a lot surprisingly. So make sure to give it plenty of space in the oven.
• You can exclude the almond extract all together if you so choose. But it is a very nice complimenting flavor.
• Of course the raisins and almonds are optional. Feel free to add anything else you believe would go well with it!

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Receta Original:

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PUDIN DE PAN

½ lb. de pan de leche

2 tazas de leche

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¾ tazas de azúcar blanca para el caramelo

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4 huevos

1 taza azúcar blanca

4 cdas. mantequilla

2 cdas. vino seco

¼ cdta. de nuez moscada

¼ cdta. de canela

½ cdta. de vainilla

½ cdta. extracto de almendras

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½ taza de pasas sin semillas

½ taza de almendras tostadas

1 cda. de harina

        Encienda el horno a 350°F. Corte el pan en pedacitos y remójelo en la leche.

        Haga el caramelo poniendo el azúcar en una cacerolita al fuego revolviendo constantemente hasta que se derrita. Bañe con este caramelo un molde con capacidad para 6 tazas.

        Bata los huevos con el azúcar, mantequilla derretida y vino seco. Añádales la canela, nuez moscada, vainilla, extracto de almendras, el pan remojado en la leche y las pasas y almendras polvoreadas con la harina. Viértalo todo en el molde y hornéelo al baño de María aproximadamente dos horas o hasta que al introducirle un palillo, salga seco. Déjelo refrescar antes de desmoldarlo. Da 12 raciones.