The following “Chew This!” column originally appeared in “The Courier-Times” and / or “The Shelbyville News”. Check their websites for further information and dates.

Bread Pudding

Blaise Doubman

I have a love / hate relationship with bread pudding. My first introduction to bread pudding was with my Grandma Barbra at KFC in New Castle. I remember it being on the buffet and I had never heard of it before but it had frosting and therefore I wanted to try it. I tried it and it was, well, not what I was expecting. It was warm and the texture was really weird. I could be wrong but I think it even had raisins in it. Yuck! I tried it again about a year or so later and this time it was cold. The texture was still the same and no raisins. I thought that it was better than before. 

Skip ahead another several years and I remember having it served outside of a KFC. This time it was served as not just a buffet dessert but an actual dessert served with a warm sauce. It was really good! I remember liking it a lot better than the KFC version! This one didn’t have any raisins either. Which I found out was just a good thing all around. Years later I decided to develop my own recipe for bread pudding and I came up with the recipe I am sharing here today. I will let you in on a little secret though. I do not make my buttermilk biscuits for this recipe. I go to KFC or Lee’s and grab them. Believe me, this recipe is a keeper for sure! 

Bread Pudding

Leftovers should be kept at room temperature, covered, for up to a week.

6 buttermilk biscuits

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 9-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray containing flour. 

In a large bowl crumble up the buttermilk biscuits. 

Add in the packed light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, salt, large eggs and whole milk. Stir everything together well. 

Pour into prepared pan and smooth out the top.

Bake, in preheated oven, for 15 minutes.

Remove and cool completely. 

If you want to make a frosting for the bread pudding, melt together 2 tablespoons of butter with a splash of milk and about 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Whisk and pour over warm or cooled cake.

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