History of Bread Pudding

donna

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Bread pudding has been around for centuries. People did not want to waste food, so a number of uses for stale bread was invented. They made stuffing, thickeners and edible containers. The Romans made a bread pudding withou eggs. Custard wasn't invented until the Middle Ages.
Some early bread pudding were Om Ali, an Egyptian dessert made with bread, milk or cream, raisins and almonds. Another is Eish es Serny from the Middle East. It is made of dried bread, sugar, honey syrup, rosewater and carmel.

Bread pudding became popular in England. It also was made in Colonies in America. It still is popular today.

In eighteenth Century America, it was very popular. Hannah Glasse's, "The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy", gave three recipes for bread pudding. Thomas Jefferson's collection of recipes also mentioned two sweet butter sauces to accompany the bread pudding.
 
Wonderful! There are a lot of definitions of pudding, too, by the way. Some of the British dishes called puddings seem to me to be far from anything containing eggs and milk - or flour! My aunt went to Scotland and ate blood pudding. It...well...was not what she was expecting, shall we say!
 
I never laid eyes on bread pudding until I ate some in Gettysburg (I forget the name of the place -- 18th century building). Discovered it was not what I would call pudding at all. I mixed some apple butter in, another thing I'd never seen before. The result can best be described as FOOD OF THE GODS.
 
Is that the one where you go down, down, down the dark, narrow stairs into the springhouse? It's not that one. This one was north of there, I think.

EDIT: Got it -- Farnsworth House. They also had fantastic little pumpkin muffin things. But I'll never forget the bread pudding that isn't pudding, mixed with the apple butter that isn't butter. Heaven...
 
Mary Randolph in her cookbook, "The Virginia Housewife" . 18th century recipe for "Sippet Pudding", a fine bread pudding. It combines basic ingredients to make a dish that is rich and satisfying with the sauce as the crowning touch.

"Cut a loaf of bread as thin, as possible, put a layer of it on the bottom of a deep dish, strew on some slices of marrow or butter, with a handful of currant or stoned raisins; do this until the dish is full; let the currants or raisins be on top; beat four eggs, mix them with a quart of milk that has been boiled a little and become cold, a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a grated nutmeg - pour it in, and bake in a moderate oven - eat it with wine sauce."

Recreated version served at Colonial Williamsburg:

a large round loaf of French or Italian bread
1/4 pound of butter
1/2 cup of dried currants or raisins
3 eggs
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
For sauce: 1/2 stick butter. 1/4 cup white wine, 1/2 cup sugar

This can best be described as a layered bread pudding with wine sauce.

Grease a 9 inch pie plate or layer cake pan.

Slice the bread rather thin with a serrated edge knife. 1/4 inch thick is nice.

In the bottom of the plate/pan make one layer of bread slices, then put some butter pats on top, then strew some currants or raisins over that. Repeat that process until your plate/pan is full.

In a bowl whip the eggs and blend in the warm milk, sugar and nutmeg until sugar is dissolved.

Carefully pour this over the bread mixture in the plate/pan until it soaks into the bread without overflowing.

Bake in 375 degrees oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the bread is browned and you can touch the top and it springs back.

For the sauce combine the sugar, wine, and butter in a saucepan and stir it over medium/high heat until thick and drizzle over the finished pudding.

From "History is Served", http://recipes.history.org/2012/11/sippet-pudding/
 
Grandmother made bread pudding with some raisins in it. When arriving for a Sunday visit, caught the aroma as soon as the door opened. We knew we were in for a treat, as Grandmother would serve a dish of Bread Pudding to us while still warm with a little milk poured over. YUM! Bread Pudding always brings back fond memories of Grandmother.
 
Today August 27th would have been my Mom's 95th birthday, (1920-1999). She passed away in Nov. 1999. My Mom was a great cook and I have so many of her recipes and learned so much from her.

One of her favorite dessert was bread pudding. So I am bringing this thread up and dedicating it to her.

Happy Birthday to my Mom who is in heaven.
 
Bread pudding has been around for centuries. People did not want to waste food, so a number of uses for stale bread was invented. They made stuffing, thickeners and edible containers. The Romans made a bread pudding withou eggs. Custard wasn't invented until the Middle Ages.
Some early bread pudding were Om Ali, an Egyptian dessert made with bread, milk or cream, raisins and almonds. Another is Eish es Serny from the Middle East. It is made of dried bread, sugar, honey syrup, rosewater and carmel.

Bread pudding became popular in England. It also was made in Colonies in America. It still is popular today.

In eighteenth Century America, it was very popular. Hannah Glasse's, "The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy", gave three recipes for bread pudding. Thomas Jefferson's collection of recipes also mentioned two sweet butter sauces to accompany the bread pudding.
In Australia, we call it bread and butter pudding. Same thing. Yum.
 
Wonderful! There are a lot of definitions of pudding, too, by the way. Some of the British dishes called puddings seem to me to be far from anything containing eggs and milk - or flour! My aunt went to Scotland and ate blood pudding. It...well...was not what she was expecting, shall we say!

The blood pudding is probably black pudding ... congealed blood. Wonderful with haggis!!!
 
Bread Pudding and Bread and Butter Pudding. Two entirely different things around here. Both delicious.

View attachment 77723 Bread Pudding--Best Cold

View attachment 77724 Bread and Butter Pudding--Best Hot

Well I relied on my mother-in-law for my information sitting right here with me ( she leaves tomorrow ). So back to the drawing board. Must do my own research!!!!

Seems that recipes above could be hot or cold. Enjoy anyway!
 
Well I relied on my mother-in-law for my information sitting right here with me ( she leaves tomorrow ). So back to the drawing board. Must do my own research!!!!

Seems that recipes above could be hot or cold. Enjoy anyway!

I am certainly not about to argue the point with any Mother in Law, yours or anyone else's.
 
Today August 27th would have been my Mom's 95th birthday, (1920-1999). She passed away in Nov. 1999. My Mom was a great cook and I have so many of her recipes and learned so much from her.

One of her favorite dessert was bread pudding. So I am bringing this thread up and dedicating it to her.

Happy Birthday to my Mom who is in heaven.
Very sweet! Hugs to you! :hug:
 
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