Irish Soda Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Whiskey Sauce

I made a lot of Irish Soda Bread last week.  A bushel load of it.  I did my best to eat it, as did my husband who also shared with his co-workers.  And yet there was more.  Which brought me to a hard rule of pastry chefs:  When abundance happens, re-purpose it!

Which is exactly what I did.

I had my choice of tasty things I could have made; crumbled the bread and made a topping for a fruit crumble or to use in a torte. Sliced it thin, brushed it with melted butter and sprinkled some cinnamon on it, and toasted it in the oven for Irish Soda Bread biscotti--seriously delicious and good with tea.  But, I love bread pudding.  That wasn't always the case.  Bread pudding was too mushy, too egg-y, too bland or too filled with things I didn't like, e.g., raisins and citron.  Hey, I was a kid and they looked strange and had a weird taste.  But thank goodness, tastes change.

There are as many types of bread pudding as there are devotees.  From the simplest French Toast (bread soaked in a simple custard of eggs, milk, a touch of sweetener and flavoring) to rich puddings made from brioche, chocolate and studded with all manner of fruits and laced with spices, alcohol and everything in between.  Bread pudding isn't just for children or those recovering from the 'flu any longer.

But bread pudding from Irish Soda Bread?  Sure!  You don't even have to plump raisins, you already did that when you made the bread.  Despite it's humble beginnings, this isn't just any bread pudding, but a rich, buttery, decadent bread pudding.  With butterscotch sauce.  Make that butterscotch Irish whiskey sauce.  

I cut my Irish Soda Bread into cubes about 1 inch each.  I kept the crust of the bread, but I like the differing textures, but if you're a purist, go ahead and trim the bread of any really crusty pieces.  A trick I learned from a fellow pastry chef of tossing the bread pieces with melted butter and sugar gives this bread pudding a rich, buttery flavor in each bite.  Beating the eggs and sugar until they are light and lemon colored ensures that there are no overly egg-y bits and that the custard is light and the sugar dissolved.  Soaking it over night  allows all the flavors a chance to find every pocket, nook and cranny of the bread, giving you a light, softly textured pudding.  Make no mistake, though the texture is lovely, this bread pudding packs a flavor wallop in each tasty morsel.

I happen to think that no matter how good bread pudding tastes, it needs a topping.  And this butterscotch sauce is mouth wateringly good. And not just on bread pudding, but top some ice cream and sprinkle a handful of chopped pecans on top and you've made not only your tummy happy, but the ice cream will thank you.  Try this on baked apples or apple dumplings, drizzle some on pumpkin or apple pie...it's that versatile.  I keep mine in one of the clean jam jars that I'm forever saving for just such a need.  Keep the sauce refrigerated until needed.  You can warm it in a small pan on the stove or in the microwave in a microwave safe dish. 

Enjoy this dessert with a strong cup of coffee.  And since it's St. Patrick's Day this week, add a splash of Irish Whiskey, keeping with the holiday and all!

Irish Soda Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Whiskey Sauce

 Butterscotch Sauce

• 1 cup (packed) brown sugar (I prefer light, but feel to use dark brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon Irish whiskey (optional, you can substitute vanilla if you would like) 

Pudding

• 6 cups leftover Irish Soda Bread cut into 1/2” cubes  
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon plus 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups heavy cream
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1 ½ tablespoons Irish whiskey
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (you can use 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
• 3/4 cups pecan pieces, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Butter a 9 x 13 ceramic or glass baking pan.  Set aside.

For the butterscotch sauce:  Bring brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt to a boil in a medium

saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully add the cream and whiskey--it will bubble, be careful--and stir until smooth. Let cool.

For the pudding:  Toss bread, the melted butter and 1 tablespoon sugar in a large bowl and set aside.

With a mixer, beat eggs and remaining sugar in a large bowl until pale yellow and fluffy and the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add the whiskey and the vanilla seeds or extract to the cream and whisk to mix well.

Pour egg mixture over bread mixture.  Add pecans and toss to coat well.

Transfer mixture to the prepared glass or ceramic baking dish, spreading evenly in the dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 325°. Remove plastic wrap and bake until top is browned in spots and a tester

inserted into center comes out clean, 1 hour.  Be careful not to over bake.  Serve bread pudding with butterscotch sauce and a dollop of whipped cream, if you’d like.

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