10883 Croissant and Armagnac Bread Pudding 1 hr 30 mins 30 mins 12 servings Mon Oct 15 02:13:00 -0700 2007 Fri Jun 19 12:10:35 -0700 2009 Easy American CHOW http://www.chow.com/recipes/10883 Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:10:35 GMT Extra rich from the croissants Extra rich from the croissants, turn to this dish for a weekend brunch or a satisfying dessert. Bread pudding is a favorite around here, so we decided to make an extra-rich version using croissants instead of bread. Paired with Armagnac-soaked prunes and a rich custard, this is a simple, elegant dessert.

What to buy: Armagnac is a brandy from the Bordeaux region of France; it can be found at high-end liquor stores. If you can’t find it, substitute Cognac or a drinkable brandy.

We found that fresher croissants made for a silkier pudding, but this recipe is also a great way to use up stale ones.

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  • Quarter prunes and combine with Armagnac in a medium bowl. Set aside and let soak until prunes are slightly plump but not all liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 325°F and arrange the rack in the middle. Strain prune mixture, reserving prunes and Armagnac separately.
  • Whisk together reserved Armagnac, half-and-half, milk, eggs, egg yolks, 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a medium bowl until well combined; set aside. Evenly distribute croissant pieces and prunes in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, pour custard mixture over croissants and prunes, and allow to soak for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring about 8 cups water to a simmer over medium-high heat.
  • Evenly distribute remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over bread pudding. Set the filled baking dish into a larger roasting pan and add enough of the hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
  • Bake until custard is set and top is lightly browned, about 1 hour. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold, and top with ice cream or Caramel Sauce.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com/assets/2007/03/breaddessert1_290x210.jpg Aida Mollenkamp 54 Sweet/Dessert 19 1 cup good-quality pitted prunes (about 6 ounces)

    ]]>     480 1/3 cup Armagnac or brandy

    ]]>     2 cups half-and-half

    ]]>     1 cup whole milk

    ]]>     4 large eggs

    ]]>     2 egg yolks

    ]]>     298 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish

    ]]>     292 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    ]]>     265 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

    ]]>     5 to 6 croissants (about 1 pound total), torn into 2-inch pieces

    ]]>     50 dessert 368 fruit 1021 comfort 680 impressive 384 easy 418 dairy 341 custard 47 ice cream 2823 caramel 4704 croissants 744 indulgent 2395 aida mollenkamp 1 chow 752 euro 252 french 822 american 435 vegetarian 1619 omnivore 29906 classics with a twist