Best Slow Cooked Winter Bread Pudding With Dried Pears Recipes

FRENCH TOAST BREAD PUDDING WITH SPICED PEARS

Steps:

• The night before, make the French toast: smear the butter over the bottom and sides of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish or other shallow 2-quart baking dish. Tear the bread into small pieces and scatter in the dish.
• In a large measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until light. Add the milk and vanilla and whisk well. Pour over the bread evenly. Tamp down the bread with a spoon or spatula to submerge each piece in egg mixture. Cover with foil, gently pressing down so the foil is right on the surface of the mixture. Refrigerate overnight.
• The next morning, remove the dish and slide it into a cold oven with the foil on. Turn oven on to 350 degrees F. After 25 minutes, gently pull off and discard the foil. Continue to bake until pudding is puffed and golden brown, about 20 more minutes.
• In the meantime, prepare the spiced pears: melt butter in a wide frying pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat then add the pears. Stir until pears are coated well with butter, then sprinkle sugar, cinnamon, and a good pinch of fresh nutmeg; continue to cook about 3 minutes until pears begin to soften. Pour in 1/4 cup of maple syrup; cook until bubbly then remove from heat.
• To serve, spoon bread pudding onto plates and top with spiced pears. Pass additional maple syrup at the table.

PEAR BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Mix in the butter and 1 tablespoon of vanilla just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1 cup white sugar, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, pear brandy and salt.
• Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with a layer of bread. Top with a layer of pear. Pour about 1/4 of the custard over the layers followed by about 1/3 of the heavy cream. Sprinkle with some of the crumb topping. Repeat layers until you are out of ingredients, ending with the crumb topping on top. Press down on the layers as needed to help them absorb the liquid. Cover the pan with parchment paper then seal with aluminum foil. Place another baking pan on top or two dinner plates to keep it from puffing while it bakes.
• Place the pudding onto a larger pan or cookie sheet with sides. Pour boiling water into the bottom pan until it is half way full.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking for 25 minutes. Pudding is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

BREAD PUDDING IN THE SLOW COOKER

Steps:

• Place bread and raisins in a slow cooker.
• Whisk milk, eggs, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and nutmeg together in a bowl; pour over bread and raisins. Toss to evenly coat.
• Cook on Low until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, about 3 hours.