Quarantine Comfort...

CARAMEL BREAD PUDDING

Cleaning out the fridge or using up ingredients that may go to waste is a perfect time to make bread pudding.  So, comforting - so homey - old fashioned and easy...your family will thank you for taking the effort (although there really isn't any!).

Print this recipe

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3 1/2 cups cubed day old bread (I like french WITH the crust)

3 tablespoons butter
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup caramel sauce, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a medium sized shallow
casserole with cooking spray and set aside. (One that will
fit inside a 9x13 baking pan.)

In a large bowl microwave the butter, milk, sugar, vanilla,
and salt until butter is melted, but mixture is not hot.

Whisk in the eggs.

Add in the bread cubes into the egg mixture and stir to
coat all pieces, but don't break them up. Pour into prepared
pan.

Drizzle HALF of the caramel sauce over the top.

Place in a 9x13 baking dish and pour in hot water to come
halfway up the inner casserole.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean - or
when you lift up a bit in the center it's not still wet looking.

Drizzle with remaining caramel sauce and dot with softened
butter. 

BEST when served warm!!

Again with the coffee flavored desserts....!

HAZELNUT LATTE PANNA COTTA

Silky, cool, light YUM! Flavored with rich coffee and the scent of hazelnut...your favorite latte in a cold cup of decadence!

You could use any flavored coffee sryup, actually - butter rum, French vanilla, Irish Cream...use your imaginations, kids!

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1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin

1 1/4 cups half & half

1/4 cup hazelnut flavored syrup (the sweetened kind to flavor coffee)

3 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee crystals

1 tablespoon sugar

Pinch salt

Pinch cinnamon

In a small saucepan stir together the milk and gelatin powder. Allow to stand for 5 minutes to soften. Stir over medium heat for one minute to dissolve gelatin. Add fat free half & half, syrup, coffee, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir and heat through, just until warm. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, gently stirring every couple of minutes to make sure the coffee crystals are dissolved.

Pour into 4 glasses and chill completely, at least overnight. Garnish with cinnamon scented whipped cream and chopped hazelnuts, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Could this be any more beautiful on a hot summer day?!

COCONUT PANNA COTTA with BLACKBERRY SAUCE

Soft, delicate, silky, light - Panna Cotta is so easy, but it's so impressive. I've flavored this with coconut milk and added a sparkling, deep purple sauce that puts it over the top!

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Panna Cotta
One 1/4-ounce packet of unflavored powdered gelatin
2 cups milk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
One 13.5-ounces can unsweetened coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of the milk and set aside for 10 minutes. Combine the remaining 1 3/4 cups milk, the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk first the gelatin mixture, then the coconut milk, into the pan. Strain the panna cotta mixture through a fine sieve then pour it into eight 4-ounce ramekins or fancy glasses and chill overnight.

Blackberry-Lemon Sauce
2 cups frozen unsweetened blackberries, divided
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch salt
Juice and zest of one lemon

Place 1 1/2 cups berries into a saucepan. Add sugar, salt and zest and juice from the lemon. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up berries. Remove from heat and allow to cool. When lukewarm stir in remaining berries, keeping them whole. Cool and serve over panna cotta or as a syrup.

Coffee in anything is just fine with me!

CAPPUCCINO CUSTARD

These are not too sweet and a touch of cinnamon brings out the warm coffee flavor. Top with a mound of whipped cream and a sprinkle of unsweetened cocoa.

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4 eggs, beaten
Pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups milk (replace 1/4 cup of the milk with 1/4 cup chocolate sauce for a mocha!)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules (use decaf crystals if you prefer)
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place six 4-ounce custard cups into a 9x13 inch baking pan and set aside.

Whisk together the eggs, salt, milk, sugar, vanilla, coffee granules, and cinnamon. Pour, through a sieve, into the custard cups. Fill baking pan with 1 inch of hottest tap water. Bake for 25-40 minutes or until set on the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center. (A sharp knife should come out clean when inserted into the middle and nothing should ooze from the cut when pressed.) Remove custards from water bath and allow to cool on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

Simply Gorgeous!

BLUEBERRY-ORANGE CUSTARD

I don't know why I waited so many years to make custard! Now I can't get enough - and the variations and combinations can be endless.

This one is even good for breakfast. I've only made it with the blueberries, but I'm sure other fruits would be just as good!

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1 cup blueberries

1 tablespoon orange zest

4 eggs, beaten

Pinch of salt

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup half & half

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place six 4-ounce ramekins in a 9x13 baking pan. Divide the blueberries and orange zest between them and set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk the eggs, salt, sugar, vanilla, half & half, and milk until well combined. Pour, through a fine meshed sieve (to remove the stringy egg thingy!) evenly amoung the cups.

Carefully pour hottest tap water into the baking pan until it's halfway up the custard cups. Bake for 25-40 minutes, or until just set, but still jiggly in the middle, or a sharp knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool.

If you can still find some cherries this summer...DO!

CHOCOLATE CHERRY MOUSSE

Plump, gorgeous jewels luxuriating in a creamy-dreamy dark chocolate mousse.

Swoon....

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2 ounces semi-sweet solid chocolate, chopped

1 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, divided

2 tablespoons cherry liqueur or cherry syrup, optional (if not using, add 2 more tablespoons cream)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup diced fresh cherries

6 whole cherries with stems for garnish

In a medium bowl heat the chopped chocolate, the 2 tablespoons heavy cream (4 tablespoons total, if not using liqueur or syrup) and the liqueur or syrup in the microwave at 30 second intervals, whisking in between, until melted and very until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl combine the remaining cream, powdered sugar, almond, and vanilla extract and beat with an electric mixture until peaks that barely hold their shape.

Beat 1/2 cup of the WHIPPED cream into the chocolate mixture until well blended. Carefully fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Gently fold in diced cherries.

Divide into 6 dessert glasses and chill for at least one hour. Garnish with a whole, fresh cherry. Makes six servings.

(A no-sugar-added version of this recipe can be found on my other blog, Eating Well...Living Thin.)