Eggless Bread Pudding

I was out with a friend who is familiarising me with this new area and all stores for our everyday groceries and vegetables. At one of the stores here, my friend pointed out to this loaf of bread, where the sides were all cut ! Very innovative idea - he even charged more for removing the sides. I don't have a problem with bread sides, but I do take it off when I make sandwiches for my son.

I really don't like wasting anything, so these sides and the slices at the two ends of the loaf come in very handy in making a simple steamed bread pudding. This one has bananas, milk and raisins along with the bread - sounds like a perfect breakfast !

Serve it hot or cold - works well both ways. Always a hit with kids - my son loves this one



Bread pudding

What you need -

2 cups of shredded bread slices / sides (I used brown bread this time)
3/4 cup milk (or enough to just soak the bread)
2 bananas
10-15 raisins
3-4 walnuts / almonds
1 tsp cinnamon powder or 1/2 a vanilla bean (whatever suits your taste)
2 tsp sugar + 1 spoon sugar for the caramel syrup

What you do with it -

Heat the brown sugar in a small bowl and pour it into a shallow vessel or smaller moulds
Mash the bananas and chop the walnuts or almonds into little pieces
Pulse the bread along with the sugar for 2-3 mins till its a coarse powder
Slit the vanilla bean and scrape the "caviar" out
Mix together bread, bananas, walnuts and raisins. Add the vanilla caviar or cinnamon powder
Pour enough milk to cover the bread mixture
Keep for 5-7 minutes so that the bread gets soaked well
Pour this bread mixture over the caramel syrup
Steam this for about 15-20 (I used a cooker, without the pressure)
Once done, upturn the pudding, so that the caramelised sugar layer is on top
Serve hot or refrigerate and serve with some cream