posted by Pat T 06-23-100 9:16 AM
Croissant Bread Pudding with Peaches and Rum
(Makes 6 servings)
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped, peeled fresh peaches (approximately 2 to 3 peaches)
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tblsp. sugar
3 Tblsp. butter
4 to 5 cups milk
1/3 cup rum
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
5 or 6 day-old croissants, slit in half crosswise
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a bowl, combine the peaches with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar and gently turn. Let stand while you prepare the pudding.
Use 1 Tblsp. of the butter to grease a standard loaf pan or other comparable baking dish. Pour the milk into a bowl; if the croissants are still soft, use 4 cups, but if they are quite dry, use 5 cups. Beat in the rum, vanilla, egg, all but 6 tablespoons of the remaining sugar, and the salt.
Make a layer of croissants in the bottom of the pan, tearing them as necessary to make them fit. Sprinkle the layer with one-third of the peaches. Pour over one-fourth of the milk mixture. Let the croissants soak up a bit of the mixture before continuing. Repeat twice, pushing the layers down as you go, and ending with a layer of croissants. Sprinkle the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar over the top layer. Dot the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Serve hot or warm.
- From "Just Like a Day in France," by Georgeanne Brennan (pamphlet published by the California Tree Fruit Agreement).