Peanut Butter & Jelly Bread Pudding Cups

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, the wonderful folks at Nature's Pride bread offered a coupon good for one free package of their delicious bread and challenged Tastemakers to come up with a unique recipe using their product.

Although this bread can easily be enjoyed via a healthy turkey sandwich, a hearty grilled cheese, or a delicious slice of cinnamon toast,  I opted to use my loaf for a twist on an American classic- the PB&J.

Gourmet sandwiches may come and go, but a good ole fashioned Peanut Butter and Jelly will get me every time... especially on 100% Whole Wheat Bread.

Another thing I love? bread pudding.

So when I got the fancy idea to combine the two, I just knew it would be good.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bread Pudding Cups

Oven: 350 Bake time: 20-25 minutes

Makes 10-12 individual cups

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup half and half 

2 eggs

1/2 cup peanut butter, warmed

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup grape or strawberry jelly

6-8 slices of Nature's Pride bread, cubed (I got about 2 muffins for every slice of bread)

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.

Cut bread into small pieces or cubes, fill each muffin cup.

In a small bowl, microwave jelly for about 20 seconds or until it becomes liquid.

Pour 1 or 2 spoonfuls of liquified jelly over each muffin cup of bread and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk whole milk, half and half, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla.

In a small bowl microwave peanut butter for about 20 seconds.

Slowly add warmed peanut butter to milk mixture and whisk until well blended.

Pour about 1/4 cup of peanut butter mixture over each cup of bread. 

Gently press bread cubes down into muffin pan, making sure they soak up all the peanut butter mixture. 

Fill a large baking dish with about an inch of water to create a water bath.

Place muffin pan inside baking dish and transfer to oven.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until no liquid appears when the top of the bread pudding is gently pressed.

Remove muffin pan from water bath and allow to set/cool for about 15-20 minutes.

Remove bread puddings from pan and serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.  

Happy Baking!

 Sorry for another peanut butter recipe, but I couldn't resist!

Apple Cinnamon & Whiskey Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is a little camera shy...

don't be fooled by her un-photogenic nature...

she's scrumptious.

I fell in love with bread pudding many summers ago while waiting tables at the Black Pearl in Newport, Rhode Island. When the night was ending and the chowder was running out, we would sneak into the kitchen and beg the guys for a piece of the leftover blueberry cinnamon bread pudding (anyone in the area should immediately go and try a piece).

...Ever since then I have always been a sucker for bread pudding.

A few nights ago Mountain Man and I made a wonderful pasta dinner complete with fresh french bread which we definitely didn't finish. With half a loaf left over I knew there was only one thing to do...

Apples Cinnamon & Whiskey Bread Pudding
Oven: 325 Bake time: 50-60 minutes
Fills an 8x8 baking dish

5 cups of cubed french bread (about half a large loaf)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS whiskey (optional)
1 apple: peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup brown sugar *for topping
1/2 tsp cinnamon*for topping

Preheat oven to 325.
Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, place bread, apples and raisins. Toss until ingredients are distributed.
Transfer mixture to baking dish and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cream, sugars, cinnamon, vanilla and whiskey until well combined.
Pour egg mixture over bread, apples and raisins. Use the back of a spoon to push bread down- making sure egg mixture gets soaked into bread.
Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and place in a water bath*.
*To create a water bath, place you baking dish in a larger pan and fill larger pan with water about half way up the baking dish- if this doesn't make sense, check out the picture below.

Place the entire contraption in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.

At 40 minutes, remove foil and place back in oven for another 10 minutes or so.
*Make sure custard has set, by press down on pudding- if fully cooked no liquid should seep up.
Serve warm or cooled with Whiskey Whipped Cream.

Whiskey Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 TBS whiskey
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, beat heavy whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Add powdered sugar, whiskey and vanilla and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

Happy Baking!!