GRAND LUX CAFE: Warm Sticky Bun Bread Pudding Recipe & Demo

by Tinsel & Tine Editor, Le Anne Lindsay

One of the things Tinsel & Tine likes to feature on our #PhillyCalendar are the National Food Holidays. Restaurant chain, Grand Lux Cafe appreciates this and invited me to attend a special dessert extravaganza in time for National Dessert Day which is celebrated Friday, October 14th.

We started with some of their top apps, so we’d have something on our stomachs before all the sweets.  The Asian Nachos (Crispy Fried Wontons covered with chicken in a sweet-hot peanut sauce, topped with melted cheese, green onion and wasabi cream) is now my new favorite bar food ever! Move over old fav Cheesesteak Egg Rolls.

What goes best with Bar Food? Cocktails!  We had a choice of Asian Pear Martini (Absolut Vanilla Vodka, Pear Passion Fruit & Sake) or The Grand Lux Margarita (Espolon Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, Grand Marnier and fresh Lime Juice)

Then Grand Lux Cafe Exe. Pastry Chef, Ana Funes lead us into the cooking demo for Warm Sticky Bun Bread Pudding (served with whiskey sauce, sugared pecans and whipped cream). It’s so easy even I can make it.  In fact, I’ve added it to T&T’s Pinterest Board of Easy Recipes. It’s also the perfect dish to keep in mind to serve or bring as your Thanksgiving offering.   Below is the Cooking Demo video and recipe.

Recipe: Warm Sticky Bun Bread Pudding

Ingredients;
1 lb.

Brioche or Challah
8 oz. (2 Sticks)

Melted Butter
1/3 Cup packed Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup
Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon
¼ tsp. Nutmeg
¼ tsp. Salt
2 Cups Milk
2 Cups Heavy Cream
4 ea. Eggs
4 ea. Egg Yolks
½ C Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. Cut the bread into 1” cubes.

2. Place the bread cubes into a large mixing bowl.

3. Combine the butter, sugars and spices in a mixing bowl, whisking to combine completely.

4. Pour the mixture over the bread, tossing to fully coat the bread cubes with the mixture.

5. Spread out into a 9×13 baking dish.

6. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Be sure to stir the bread cubes once or twice while toasting.

7. While the bread is toasting, make the custard.

8. Whisk all ingredients together until evenly combined.

9. Once the bread has toasted, remove the pan from the oven.

10. Pour the custard over the bread cubes.

11. Allow the mixture to sit for 10-15 minutes before cooking.

12. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place into a 300° oven.

13. Bake for 20 minutes.

14. Remove foil from pan and continue to bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until light golden brown and the custard has set. You can test this by inserting a paring knife into the center of the pudding. If the knife comes away clean, or with very little pudding clinging to it, the pudding is ready.

15. Allow the pudding to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

16. To serve:

Top the pudding with toasted pecans and warm caramel sauce.

Serve with either vanilla ice cream or crème anglaise.

Warm Rustic Apple Pie (Baked when you order it. Flaky sugared crust filled with fresh apples and topped with Vanilla Ice Creame & Caramel

The real celebration – wonderfully decadent, beautiful and excellent desserts!!!  Grand Lux Cafe of course wants you to dine with them soup to nuts, but they do welcome patrons to just come in for dessert and coffee.  And I really recommend it too – so often you order dessert and it’s pretty, but it’s too sweet or just plain ol’ looks better than it tastes.  NOT the case at GLC, they truly specialize in creating each and every dessert to yummy perfection.

Molten Chocolate Cake (with a melted chocolate center. Served with Vanilla Ice Cream)

New Orleans Beignets (served warm with three sauces) Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies, Key Lime Pie (Baked fresh with a Graham-Pecan Crust topped with fresh whipped cream) Warm Butter Cake (warm buttery vanilla cake with a rich creamy center, served with fresh strawberries and vanilla ice cream)