Blackberry And Pear Bread Pudding

Last Friday was Bob's birthday and I made his favorite dessert, bread pudding.  But, I forgot to include the milk in the custard and the result was very bad indeed. So, feeling that that I owed him a proper dessert, I made another version this Wednesday.  This time I remembered to add all the ingredients, which improved matters enormously.  The last bread pudding was a coffee and expresso flavored concoction, but I decided to make an entirely different recipe, based on Nigella Lawson's Ginger Jam Bread Pudding.  I knew Bob wouldn't enjoy the ginger marmalade she favors, so I used some of my own homemade pear jam and some store bought blackberry jam.   This bread pudding is a little different from other versions I've eaten. The bread bakes in its dish with the crusts poking up out of the custard, turning golden, crisp and buttery, a delicious contrast to the soft underbelly of the pudding.

When I first thought of making this I decided to use my own pear jam that I made a few months ago.  But, pear jam has a subtle taste and thinking it might be too bland, I bought some blackberry jam at the store, with the intention of alternating sandwiches made with both types of jam in the baking dish.  I suppose I sound finicky, but the store bought stuff was very disappointing-- odd looking and loaded with high fructose corn syrup and sugar. 

Despite my misgivings I used the blackberry jam, along with the pear jam, to make sandwiches, which were then cut into triangles.

The triangles are then positioned in a well buttered dish, with the point of one triangle upwards, then another one with the flat, cut side pointing up, then continuing this pattern until the dish is filled. I also stuffed a triangle on each side of the dish.

Then custard is poured over the bread, and fresh blackberries were scattered on top. Soft butter is smeared onto the triangles with crusts poking out of the custard. The pudding sits about 10 minutes, to let the custard absorb into the bread. Then, dusted with sugar, it goes into the oven to bake.

I was surprised that the pear jam contributed a such distinct and lovely flavor to the pudding.  The blackberry jam provided nothing but color, and I wished I had only used my own jam. Next summer I'm making my own blackberry jam. 

Blackberry and Pear Bread Pudding    (Adapted from Nigella Lawson's Nigella Bites)

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
10 slices whole wheat bread
jam of your choice
4 egg yolks
1 egg
3 tablespoons sugar
2-1/4 cup cream
3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons demerara sugar
fresh blackberries

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a baking dish with a capacity of about 1.5 quart with some of the butter.
Make sandwiches with the brown bread, butter and jam.  Spread about 2 tablespoons of jam on one slice of bread and around 1 tablespoon of the butter on the other slice of bread, then make them into a sandwich.  (You should have some butter left over to smear on the top later). Cut the sandwiches into half triangles and arrange them evenly along the middle of the baking dish. Put one in the dish with the point of the sandwich upwards, then one with the flat side uppermost, then with point-side uppermost and so on, then squeeze a sandwich-triangle down each side.

Whisk the egg yolks and egg together with the sugar, and pour in the cream and milk. Pour this over the triangles of bread and leave them to soak up the liquid for about 10 minutes, by which time the pudding is ready to go into the oven. Put some fresh berries on the top.  Smear the bread crusts that are poking out of the custard with the soft butter.  Sprinkle the demerara sugar on the top .
Sit the pudding dish on a baking sheet and put in the oven to cook for about 45 minutes or until the custard has set and puffed up slightly. Remove, let sit for about 10 minutes - by which time the puffiness will have deflated somewhat - and spoon out into bowls.  Serve plain or with whipped cream or custard sauce if you wish.
Serves 6

Comments

[Tanna]

Wow, I really like the looks of that; the contrast of the crisp and the soft!! This looks like it would be open to different ways. Wish I had some of your pear jam.

[Julie]

Pear and blackberry is a wonderful sounding combination and that picture looks good enough to eat right off the computer screen.

[gattina]

don't mean to rub it in (hehee)... but without that accident, I couldn't have seen this even better recipe! It has more layouts of texture, and more attractive appearence.
I can't make myself eat most store-bought jam either except St Dalfour which is sweeten by fruit juice. I'm even more excited about your berry jam next summer!
(PS. darn! Tanna took the first seat (again!) in leaving you comment. Ok, I'm not logging out of your blog Sher ;p)

[kristi]

Okay, to say this looks delicious would be the understatement of the year. I've never made bread pudding, but I'm definitely going to try this recipe sometime soon. Yum!

[Butta Buns]

Oh. My. Garsh! That looks so fantastic. This is why I love your blog so much!

[Ostara]

This looks absolutely wonderful! Just want you to know I cannot visit your blog without wanting to give your recipes a try. Yum!

[angie]

Oooooo..this looks really good!

[Jeff]

I've never made bread pudding, but I've been 'eyeing' making it lately

[s'kat]

That looks absolutely divine, even with the fakey-blackberry stuff. I'll bet Bob was most pleased.

[aria]

WOW!! scuse the language but holysh*t sher! this is one for the record books. i love bread pudding, one of m favorite deserts in the world. the addition of the fruit flavors sounds out of this world!! pardon et moi but i think i could eat the whole jar of pear preserves with a spoon in no time! major drooool.

[Alisha]

Yum! I'm not a big fan of bread pudding but love the look of the textures and flavors in this one.

[sher]

Tanna,

Thanks. Yes, the nice thing about this is that anyone can use their favorite jam or marmalade--and sprinkle fresh fruit and nuts. I think raspberry and almonds would be great too. Glad you liked it.

Julie,

Thanks Julie--I've often wanted to eat your food off the screen too!

Gattina,

Thanks. I'm glad I made this one too. I think it can be even better, with no store bought jam next time, for sure. I learned my lesson!

Kristi,

Thank you! I think Isabella might like this. And it's very speedy to make.

Butta Buns,

Thank you, I'm so glad you liked it. :)

Ostara,

Thank you, I just saw that duck breast photo on your blog and am wiping the drool off my chin. :)

Angie,

Thank you, it was a relief to finally make a bread pudding that tasted good!

Jeff,

There are so many bread pudding recipes out there. Some are really elaborate, but this one is pretty simple, I think.

s'kat,

Thanks. Yes he was pleased. There's none left--so I think that says it all. :)

Aria,

Thank you. I must admit, this made me appreciate my pear jam a lot more. I usually prefer my other jams to it, but now I'm saying sweet things to the pear jam and asking it to forgive me for not giving it the credit I give my other preserves. :)

Alisha,

Thanks, I'm not a big fan either. But, the crisp buttery sections made it much more interesting to me.

[Glenna]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm........so yummy looking. Would love to have a big ole bowl right now. I've had your pear jam and it's too die for.

[Kristen]

Your pic's are gorgeous and the recipe sounds devine!

[Burcu]

Sher, I've never had bread pudding before and now I ask why, why?

[Jennifer]

Very interesting! I have never had a bread pudding like this one but it seems like it would not be as sweet or rich as others. Yum!!! Thanks for sharing!

[Garrett]

ooh, this might make for fun cupcakes!

[Callipygia]

Sher I love the look of this, it is almost like a rose-in-bloom!

[Liz]

Yum-tastic!! Sounds great. I heart blackberry jam and I often use store-bought if I can find it. With regard to HFCS, It's good to be aware if your foods have it, but I think it gets a bad rap. I don't eat a ton of it, but I don't mind having it every once in a while...

Anyway, this looks amazing. I can't wait to try it out!

[Rosa]

That looks gorgeous! I love blackberries and bread pudding.

[Shannon]

Wow, Sher, you're getting sooo many comments lately! Everyone loves your blog!

This looks yum. Very yum.

[Anh]

Oh so beautiful!!!! Lovely indeed!

Sher, I made your Spainish Cod Soup this week and it was so beautiful! Thanks for the lovely recipe!

[Cleo]

My version of this uses blueberries, as little or as many as you choose, for colour and texture (they can even be frozen ones) and grated lemonpeel. I find that blueberries don't have much flavour, but give a good "pop" in the mouth, and the lemon is what makes the dish. You can put some peel on the bread and butter, and the rest into the custard, and just alternate the sandwiches and the berries in the bowl. This tastes great warm, and is even good the next day, IF somebody doesn't eat it all first!
I am tempted, but haven't yet done so, to experiment with raspberries and grated white chocolate. What do you think?

[sher]

Glenna,

Thank you!! I would like to have some right now too!

Kristen,

Thank you!

Burcu,

Thanks. Well, I hope you have some eventually! And then tell us all about it :):)

Jennifer,

Thanks! It wasn't as rich as some I've had. And I really loved the contrasting textures.

Garrett,

Oh, the master of cupcakes!! I'm still trying to think of one for your event!

Callipygia,

Ahh, thank you. What a nice thing to say! I love that idea.

Liz,

Thanks! I think this brand used too little blackberries and too many other things, like HFCS and sugar. So, it diluted the wonderful blackberry taste. I do love them! Hope you try it!

Rosa,

Thanks! I wish I had blackberry bushes in my back yard, then I could use them more often.

Shannon,

Thank you! Hope you're having better weather there. And did you get the chimney sweep to come out?

Anh,

Thank you--and I'm so glad you liked the soup!

Cleo,

Thank you for those excellent ideas. I think blueberries would be wonderful. I agree with you about the way they would "pop". Raspberries and white chocolate??? Fabulous! Please let me know if you do that.

[ilva]

I just have to add a comment to this choir of praise, it looks incredible and the taste must be so to! I'll try it

[coffeepot]

Oh wow Sher! I have homemade blackberry jam and homemade lemon jam so I am going to try this for sure.

Thanks for a great idea.

I love bread pudding and your photos are amazing.

[peabody]

I like any person who's favorite dessert is bread pudding. Yours looks great.

[Tanna]

Sher, Great news here...I tried this with now don't get Upsie on me...I tried this with mince meat and it was really nice! I'll do it again. And I do think this is good for some peanut butter treatment!

[Julie Tilsner]

Oh thanks. This photo (and recipe) makes it real easy to concentrate. Thanks, Sher!
Maybe I'll try it, botch it (because that's what I do...) and blog about it myself....

[Christine]

Wow! What a great dessert Sher! Sorry I haven't been around lately. I'm just catching up with your blog and the rest of the blogosphere, hoping to get back on track.