Sweet Ending Sundays: Bread Pudding

As though Sunday's rib dinner wasn't grand enough...I actually made dessert!  Yes, although I must admit that I really was being completely lazy by this point and didn't really want to make it all.  I rationalized, hey readers wouldn't know I was going to make this anyways, but my "house guest" somehow "persuaded" me to make that run for the  rum to make the dish come to life.

I am especially proud of this recipe because I actually created it!  That's not to say it was inspired by something that I did have.  At a wedding reception, that I was honored to be a bridesmaid in, I had bread pudding for the very first time.  It had a shot of Crèmas (kinda a cross between egg nog and a milk shake) on the side that you poured over the bread pudding before consuming... just thinking about it whooooaaa JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL! lol

But yeah, when returning home I HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW THIS WAS DONE.   I was on a mission.  And let's just say, it was a long mission with MANY failed attempts.  I tried the traditional French bread approach and it was either too soupy or to dry it was just terrible. I settled on a pound cake and although I am sure this is still not the bread used in the original recipe, I LOVED the way it came out.  Now I have a preference, I prefer pound cakes from actual bakeries, so if you MUST get it from a grocery store make sure you get it out of the BAKERY section of the grocery store.

Before I talk too much here is the recipe:

2 loaf pound cakes or 1 ringed pound cake
2 cans cream of coconut
2 cans condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 eggs
1 cup raisins
dark rum (preferably Barbancourt Haitian Rum)
cinnamon
nutmeg
allspice
vanilla extract
almond extract

Cut the pound cake into chunks.  In a small bowl add the raisins and enough rum that it covers the raisins.  Put the bowl in the fridge and let it soak for at least a half hour to an hour.  In the meantime, mix all other ingredients together.  I always taste my mixture to make sure that it doesn't need any other spices.  CAUTION: Yeah I know what you are thinking RAW EGGS but it's only a little bit and if you really feel that strongly about it don't do it (I'm just telling you what I do lol).

After take the raisins out add it to the mixture and slowly pour of the cut pound cake.  You want the mixture to be not be too thick or two soupy.  You will most likely have some mixture left.  Reserve for later.  Put into the oven and bake at 350 for about a half hour checking to see if it is browned.  Take out once the pudding has firmed up and is browned at the top.  Take a fork and poke a few wholes in the pound cake and take some of the reserved mixture and pour of the top of the pudding and let it soak into the pudding.

NOW ENJOY!  Questions or comments as always leave me one!