Gingered Carrot-Pumpkin Bread Pudding
This delicious bread pudding carries the intrinsic character of the Thanksgiving feast. It embodies the comfort and warmth of childhood desserts in cold weather using healthy, forthright, honest ingredients prepared in a simple straightforward way. No fussy-gussie here!
Yield: six portions as a dessert
Equipment: Cutting board, chef’s knife, three medium bowls, fine mesh sieve or sifter, measuring cups and spoons, fine holed grater, electric hand whisk, six 3″/4oz ramekins, medium ice cream scoop, small sauce pan, small wooden spoon, six small containers or bowls, small rubber spatulas, wooden chop stick, half sheet tray, tin foil,
Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 ground allspice berries
1/8 ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 peeled carrot finely grated
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
¼ pound sweet butter
7/8 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
6 buttered, floured 3″/4 oz ramekins
1 cup pureed good quality orange marmalade
2 tablespoon Myer’s rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup water
1 cup cream cheese
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup heavy cream, whipped
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, sift the flour and spices. Divide the flour mix into three batches.
- Combine the fine carrot chiffonade and pumpkin puree.
- Whisk the butter till light and fluffy. Add the sugar and cream till light. Add the egg and the vanilla extract. Add the carrot-pumpkin mixture and divide into three batches.
- In a large bowl put one batch of flour. Add the first batch of carrot mixture. Add a second batch of flour. Stir and add the second batch of carrot mix. Add the final batch of flour and the final batch of carrot mix.
- Using an ice cream scoop fill halfway into the buttered, floured ramekins.
- Place on half sheet tray and bake for 20-25 minutes till risen and golden brown.
- While the puddings are baking prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan combine the well-pureed orange marmalade, rum, vanilla extract and heavy cream. Warm to make a pourable liquid.
- When the puddings are baked, poke five holes in the puddings down to the bottom of the ramekin with a wooden chopstick. Drizzle the orange marmalade syrup into each pudding.
- For service reheat the puddings covered with tin foil.
- For the cream cheese mousse, whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and keep whisking. Add the ground cardamom and two twists of black pepper and whisk again. When all is fully incorporated, fold in the whipped cream to lighten the mousse. Refrigerate until service.
- For service reheat the puddings covered in a 300 degree oven until well warmed with a dollop of cream cheese mousse.
