Best Plum Bread Pudding Recipes

TINY TIM'S PLUM PUDDING

Steps:

• Generously grease an 8-cup pudding mold, metal gelatin mold or ovenproof bowl; set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, mix bread crumbs, flour, orange zest, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and cloves; gradually add to creamed mixture. Fold in plums, dates, raisins, carrots and currants., Transfer to prepared pudding mold. Cover tightly with heavy-duty foil; tie foil with kitchen string to secure., Place on a rack in a stockpot; add 3 in. hot water to pot. Bring water to a gentle boil; steam cake, covered, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 2 to 2-1/2 hours, adding more water to pot as needed. Remove pudding from pot; let stand 5 minutes before unmolding., Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat hard sauce ingredients until smooth and creamy. Unmold pudding onto a serving plate; serve warm with sauce.

MADELINE SOREL BREAD PUDDING FROM NANCY SILVERTON AT MAXWELL'S PLUM

Steps:

• Scald the milk, cream, cinnamon stick, nutmeg and vanilla bean, including pod. Remove from heat, cover and let stand at least 30 minutes; remove pod and cinnamon stick.
• Spread the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, until hard but not colored.
• Mix clarified butter with five tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Using a pastry brush, paint a thin, even layer of butter on both sides of the bread, coating but not saturating. Keep the sugar and cinnamon mixed with the butter by stirring before coating each bread slice. Lay buttered slices in a single layer.
• In small saucepan, heat one-quarter cup of sugar and two tablespoons of water over high heat. As the mixture boils, brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush to dissolve sugar. Boil until the mixture is deep amber. Immediately pour hot caramel mixture over the bottom of a two-quart straight-sided porcelain souffle dish that is three inches deep and seven inches in diameter. Set dish aside.
• With a wire whisk, beat the yolks and whole egg with two tablespoons of sugar until the sugar dissolves.
• Reheat the cream mixture to scalding and pour over the beaten yolks, whisking constantly. Strain to remove bits of cinnamon stick and vanilla bean; set aside.
• Place four to six slices of bread on the bottom of the souffle dish. With a serrated knife, cut another slice of bread into pieces to completely fill all gaps. Pour in enough custard just to cover the bread.
• Spread with half of the applesauce and moisten lightly with custard. Put on another layer of bread, filling in gaps and covering with custard.
• Spread with the remaining applesauce and moisten with custard again.
• Finish the pudding with two layers of bread, pouring on remaining custard. Press down a bit to make sure the custard saturates the entire pudding.
• Bake for one hour at 350 degrees on a rack in the upper third of the oven. The pudding will swell up, and when it is done, it will be brown, crusty and set. Cool for 30 minutes, unmold on serving platter and serve warm with creme fraiche or sour cream.

DIANA'S PLUM PUDDING (PLUM PUDDING OF INFAMY)

Steps:

• Butter and flour inside of Bundt pan.
• Remove crusts and ends of the loaf; reserve for another use, if desired.
• Divide slices of bread into three even, separate piles.
• Cut the first third of bread slices diagonally into fourths (to make 4 triangles).
• Arrange these triangles in bottom of Bundt pan, fitting together like a jigsaw puzzle to completely cover the bottom and sides of pan.
• Arrange 1/2 of the drained plum halves cut-side down on top of bread triangles in the bottom of the pan.
• Top the plums with one cup of raisins sprinkled evenly around the layer.
• Sprinkle with ½ cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
• Pour ½ cup melted butter over all.
• Cut another third of the bread into triangles, and layer it over the plums and raisins.
• Top that layer of bread with the remaining plum halves, raisins, ½ cup sugar, cinnamon, and butter.
• Use the last third of bread,cut into triangles, to cover the ingredients int he bundt pan.
• Use clean hands to GENTLY press down on bread to compress the ingredients and pack them into the pan, and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
• Place Bundt pan on baking sheet with sides.
• In a separate large bowl, beat eggs thoroughly, then add cream and mix inches.
• Slowly pour egg mixture over top of pan, allowing it to soak into bread layers, being careful not to overfill pan (I used a bamboo skewer to open channels along edges of pan to let more egg mixture seep down. As it soaks in you can add more mixture.).
• Sprinkle nutmeg over top and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle position.
• Place Bundt pan with baking pan in oven for 70 minutes.
• Let cool for 20 minutes.
• Turn out onto serving platter or cool completely, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
• Bring to room temperature before serving (or warm individual slices in microwave).
• Dust with powdered sugar.
• For sauce:.
• Beat butter until fluffy.
• Beat in 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon liquor OR milk.
• Repeat with remaining sugar and liquor OR milk.
• Beat until smooth and thick, but pourable.
• Store covered in refrigerator.
• Let stand at room temperature for ½ hour before serving.
• Drizzle pudding with hard sauce, soft sauce, or top with ice cream before serving.