BREAD PUDDING SOUFFLE

WITH WHISKEY SAUCE Commander’s Palace

makes 6 servings

Bread Pudding:

3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
3 medium eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups 1" cubed French Bread (needs to be a light and tender French bread or it will soak up all the custard and the recipe won’t work)
1/3 cup raisins

Whiskey Sauce:

1 cup heavy cream
½ tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup bourbon

Meringue:

9 medium egg whites (these come with medium eggs)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

To make the bread pudding: First preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8" square baking pan. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs until smooth, then work in the heavy cream. Add the vanilla, then the bread cubes. Allow the bread to soak up the custard.

Place the raisins in the greased pan. Top with the egg & bread mixture, which prevents the raisins from burning. Bake for approximately 25 - 30 minutes or until the mixture has a golden brown color and is firm to the touch. If a toothpick inserted in the pudding comes out clean, it is done. The mixture of pudding should be nice and moist, not runny or dry. Cool to room temperature.

To make the whiskey sauce: Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Whisk corn starch and water together and add to the heated cream while whisking. Bring to a boil. Whisk and let simmer for a few seconds, taking care not to burn the mixture on the bottom. Remove from the heat.

Stir in the sugar and the bourbon. Taste to make sure the sauce has a thick consistency, a sufficiently sweet taste and a good bourbon flavor. Cool to room temperature.

To Make the meringue: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter six 6-ounce ramekins. First, be certain that the bowl and whisk are clean. The egg whites should be completely free of yolk and they will whip better if the chill is of them. This dish needs a good stiff meringue. In a large bowl or mixer, whip egg whites and cream or tartar until foamy. Add the sugar gradually and continue whipping until shiny and thick. Test with a clean spoon. If the whites stand up stiff like shaving cream, when you pull the spoon out, the meringue is ready. Do not over whip, or the whites will break down and the soufflé will not work.

In a large bowl, break half the bread pudding into pieces using a spoon or your hand. Gently fold in one quarter of the meringue, being careful not to lose the air in the whites. Add a portion of this base into each of the ramekins.

Place the remaining bread pudding in the bowl, break into pieces and carefully fold in the rest of the meringue. Top off the ramekins with this lighter mixture, to about 1 ½ inches. Smooth and shape tops with a spoon into a dome over the ramekin.

Bake immediately for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately. Using a spoon, poke a hole in the top of each soufflé at the table and pour the room temperature whiskey sauce inside the soufflé.