Bread Pudding

I have been making bread two or three times a week for a few months now, and it is still SO hard to resist the temptation of freshly baked bread. The whole house smells of warm, fresh from the oven bread, and it takes every ounce of willpower this mama has not to slice off a thick hunk of warm yeasty goodness, slather it in butter, and gobble up half the loaf. Really. It calls to me.

However, being a mama with limited time on her hands, I resist. Because I know I won't have time to bake another loaf before I have to pack lunch for the allergic kiddo, and sandwiches are so darn easy. And. Well. Normal. It's nice to send something that can make her feel like a normal kid at lunchtime.

That being said, my kids do not care for bread that has aged beyond a day or so. Toasting it can buy an extra day. Sometimes we fly through a loaf in a matter of hours, occasionally it manages to make it to day three. The day of doom for bread around here, because no one will eat it. (Unless I broil it as garlic toast. Yum.) Prior to the holidays I had been freezing these little bits, saving them up for stuffing. Holidays are gone. Bread is not. What to do?

Make bread pudding of course! What better winter indulgence to use up those slightly stale loaves of love? Warm from the oven with a scoop of allergy free ice cream, or home made caramel sauce or even just a spoonful of your favorite jelly....heavenly.

Vanilla Bread pudding

1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flax meal + 2 Tbsp warm water, allowed to sit 5 minutes)
1/2 c organic cane sugar
1/2 c organic brown sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 c canned coconut milk
1 1/2 c So Delicious coconut milk, or milk of choice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 c cubed stale bread of choice

Preheat oven to 350. Mix flax egg in large mixing bowl and allow to sit. Beat with mixer just until texture changes, about 45 seconds. Add sugars and blend well. Add vanilla and canned coconut milk. Mix well. Add remaining milk and nutmeg and blend. Add cubed bread and stir to coat. Grease 8x8 pan, add bread mixture and allow to stand 10 minutes. Bake 30-40 minutes until golden, and knife inserted in middle comes out clean. Drizzle with warm maple syrup, top with ice cream, or sauce of your choice, and serve.

Depending on the bread you use, this may need a splash more milk. If mixture seems to dry after combining with bread, drizzle in more milk until uniformly moist. Any milk can be used in this recipe, but I chose coconut for it's rich, thick texture. It adds that creamy indulgent flavor and texture that bread pudding needs. Feel free to use your milk of choice, I would suggest a rich milk, or combination of milks, like hemp milk, soy creamer, even a bit of soy or rice yogurt if using thin milks like rice milk. It adds body and flavor to round out the flavor nicely.

With care this recipe can be dairy free, egg free, nut free, gluten free, soy free, top 8 free, and delicious!