The Louisiana Gentlemen Recipes – Wade

Note:

Recipes were included as lagniappe in the five books (plus a novella) of the Louisiana Gentlemen series, published 1998 – 2002. Since that time, I've had hundreds of letters and emails about KANE, LUKE, ROAN, CLAY, WADE and ADAM, the majority from people who had lost track of the books but wanted the recipes again. Posting them here on the blog will make them available once more for everyone. Slight adjustments have been made to the originals for clarity and consistency.

Pirate’s Bread Pudding

Photo from Pinterest.com

Ingredients:

1 loaf French bread

2 cups milk

2 cups half and half

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup chopped pineapple

1 cup raisins

1 cup shredded coconut

1 jigger (1 ounce) rum (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour rum over raisins and set aside to soak. Break bread into bite-size pieces and place in large bowl. Pour milk and half and half over bread and set aside for an hour.  When bread has softened, stir until mixed. Whisk eggs, and then stir in sugar, salt, spices, and vanilla. Add to bread and milk and mix well. Fold in raisins, pineapple and coconut.  Melt butter in the bottom of a heavy 9 ½ x 13” cake pan, and then slowly pour pudding mixture into the pan. Top may be dotted with additional butter if desired. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the center is firm.

Notes:

Bread pudding originated as a way of using day-old French bread, but any type loaf bread, rolls or other baked goods - even doughnuts - may be used.
Adding an extra egg will give a more custard-like consistency.

The original recipe called for only raisins for flavor. The pudding is delicious without the pineapple, coconut or rum. However, a wide variety of other ingredients can be used, including walnuts, pecans, bananas or even chocolate. For a wonderful variety of bread puddings, search for “bread pudding” on Pinterest.com.

Whiskey Sauce

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

1 jigger (1 ounce) whiskey, usually bourbon

Directions:

Whisk egg, add sugar and beat thoroughly. Melt butter in a saucepan over a low flame. Add egg and sugar mixture and stir constantly over low heat until steaming hot, but not boiling. Add whiskey and stir to a creamy smooth texture. Drizzle over warm bread pudding. Serve immediately.

Note:

If you don’t care for the whiskey sauce, you can make a simple vanilla sauce by substituting 1 teaspoon of vanilla for the whiskey and adding a small amount of half & half to reach pouring consistency.

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Since publishing her first book at age 27, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jennifer Blake has gone on to write over 65 historical and contemporary novels in multiple genres. She brings the story-telling power and seductive passion of the South to her stories, reflecting her 8th-generation Louisiana heritage. Jennifer lives with her husband in northern Louisiana.

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