History of Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is a dish with very old roots. It evolved as a use for stale bread. Although the Romans did use eggs as binding agents in various recipes, custard was not invented until the Middle Ages, so early bread puddings were probably made simply from milk, stale bread, fat and perhaps a sweetener.
Bread puddings were not only made by the Romans. Ancient versions of bread pudding include Om Ali, an Egyptian dessert made from bread, milk or cream, raisins and almonds; Eish es Serny (palace bread), a Middle Eastern dish made by drying large round slices cut horizontally through a big loaf to make enormous rusks, which are then simmered in sugar and honey syrup flavoured with rosewater and coloured with caramel; and Shahi Tukra, an Indian dish made with bread fried in ghee, dipped in a syrup flavoured with saffron and rosewater, and covered with a creamy sauce in which decorative slices of almond are embedded.
In 13th century England bread pudding was known as a "poor man's pudding" as it was made from stale leftover bread that was simply moistened in water, to which a little sugar, spices and other ingredients were added.
Bread pudding's current forms tend to be far more luxurious than their humble origins. It is no longer a poor man's pudding; it is now a rich, creamy, decadent dessert that has made its way onto the dessert menus of many fine restaurants. Unlike bread puddings of the past, we now moisten the bread in a rich mixture (really a custard) of cream, eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and spices. Modern bread puddings often utilize fresh, gourmet breads, such as brioche, and include expensive ingredients, such as vanilla beans, bourbon, and pecans. Bread puddings may also be served with a variety of sauces, such as a bourbon or rum sauce.
Some Bread Pudding recipes:
Traditional Bread Pudding
Rum Raisin Bread Pudding
New Orleans Bread Pudding
Coconut Bread Puddings
Toppings:
