Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding with Maple Sauce

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding with Maple Sauce
By: Williams Sonoma

1 loaf Pre-sliced French Bread (1lb) cut into 3 strips, and the strips cut into cubes
¾ cup raisins
1 very ripe banana, peeled and pureed
4 large eggs
3 cups milk
1 cup and 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

For Maple Sauce:
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup (2oz) orange marmalade
2 cinnamon sticks, each 3 inches long

Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Add the raisins and mix with your hands to distribute them evenly.

Place the banana on a cutting board and mash with a fork, 3-4 minutes. In another bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Whisk in the milk, the pureed banana, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon, and the vanilla, mixing well. Pour evenly over the bread. Set aside and soak for 30 minutes (this is an important step so don’t rush it).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x2 inch round cake pan with cooking oil.

Spoon the soaked bread mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing the top to level it by pushing down bread cubes with back of spoon. It will reach the rim of the pan. In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1 Tablespoon of sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top of the pudding.

Bake the pudding until it has puffed about 1 inch above the rim of the pan, approx 1 ½ hours. Remove from oven and let cool to lukewarm or room temperature.

To make the maple sauce, in a small frying pan, combine the maple syrup, marmalade, cinnamon sticks and ½ cup water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil gently, reducing heat to medium until the liquid is reduced by 1/3, about 6-10 minutes. Remove from heat. You will have about 1 cup. Let cool to warm or room temperature before serving. Remove the cinnamon sticks.

Cut the pudding into wedges and place on individual plates. Spoon 2 Tablespoons of the sauce over each wedge. Serve at once. Keep leftovers refrigerated; re-heating in microwave if desired.

Serves 8

Peachy Cheese Coffee Cake

Peachy Cheese Coffee Cake
By: Doris Christopher

Coffee cake and filling:
2 (8oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1 can (21oz) peach, cherry or apple pie filling *I used peaches for this recipe*

Glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar
2-3 teaspoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Unroll crescent dough. Separate into 16 triangles, reserving 4 triangles for decorations. On a large pizza pan, arrange 12 triangles into a circle with wide ends toward the outside edge of round baking pan and points toward the center (points will not meet). Using lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough to a 14 inch circle, pressing seams together to seal. There should be a 3 inch diameter opening in the center. Form a slightly raised rim along inner and outer edges of dough.

With an electric mixer in a large bowl combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, egg yolk and vanilla or almond extract. Mix until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over dough to within ½ inch of edge. Spoon pie filling evenly over cream cheese mixture.

Using a pizza cutter, cut each remaining dough triangles lengthwise into 3 strips. Arrange dough strips evenly in spoke-like fashion over filling. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 15 minutes.

For glaze, combine powdered sugar and milk; mix until smooth. Drizzle evenly over coffee cake. Cut into wedges. Serve warm.

Makes 8-12 servings