how to recycle bread, tasty style

have you ever found yourself with way too much bread that has also unfortunately gone stale? well, i do, and often. to try to maximize our bread usage, depending on the type of bread, i turn stale loaves into fresh breadcrumbs or, even better, make bread pudding.

bread crumbs are easy enough to make. just cut the bread into smallish cubes and pulse in a food processor until they turn into crumbs.

but, if you want to really up the ante on your bread recycling, try your hand at a bread pudding (recipe below). you'll see that the recipe is very simple, easily modifiable, and always yummy. and you'll have the added benefit of being able to feel smug about finding a clever and tasty way to use up your stale bread, without your diners ever knowing. (ever wonder why some bakeries have bread pudding? well, now you know.)


Basic Bread Pudding
8-10 oz stale bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (such as brioche, croissant, pain de mie, challah)
5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cups half & half
1/2 cup sugar
3 medium eggs
3 medium egg yolks
2 tbsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp packed dark brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8" square baking dish. Place bread in large bowl and drizzle 4 tbsps melted butter over bread and toss to coat. If you like, add 1/2 cup chocolate chips and/or fruit (dried or fresh), etc., and toss to combine.

Whisk half & half, the 1/2 cup of sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla extract in large bowl. Pour this custard over bread cubes and let stand about 30 minutes, occasionally stirring to help bread soak up as much custard as possible. Pour bread mixture into baking dish. Drizzle remaining melted butter over pudding and sprinkle top with brown sugar. Bake until puffed and brown, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve warm with rum sauce (recipe follows). Serves 6.


Rum Sauce
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon (you can leave this out if you just want to make a caramel-rum sauce)
dash of salt
1/4 cup dark rum
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Melt butter in small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add dark brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt, and whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbling and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in rum and vanilla extract. Serve warm.