Depending on where you are in the world, the flavors of bread pudding will vary—in some regions it’s a sweet, creamy dish, and in others, it can be more savory than sweet. It’s not uncommon to incorporate rum or bourbon, but in this case, we use an imperial stout for an added bit of decadence. The high alcohol content adds a bit of bite, complementing the sweetness of the dessert.
Active preparation time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Serves: 6
Bread Pudding
8 oz (227 g) bread
½ cup brown sugar
3 Tbs butter, plus extra for buttering the ramekins
6 Tbs (89 ml) corn syrup
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ cup (59 ml) sour cream
½ cup (118 ml) Southern Tier Choklat
3 eggs
½ cup pecans, toasted
1 batch stout toffee sauce (see below)
Vanilla ice cream
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
Roughly chop the bread, place the pieces in a large mixing bowl, and set it aside.
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of butter, corn syrup, and salt, then bring to a simmer for 3–4 minutes and mix until smooth. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Add the vanilla extract, cinnamon, sour cream, and beer. Lightly whisk the eggs and add them to the sugar mixture. Pour the mixture over the bread pieces and let soak for a few minutes. Add the toasted pecans.
Butter six ramekins. Portion the bread mixture into the ramekins and bake for about 15 minutes. The bread pudding should be at least 165°F (74°C) internally. Serve with stout toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream.
Imperial Stout Toffee Sauce
1 cup (237 ml) Southern Tier Choklat
4 Tbs (½ stick) butter
1 cup brown sugar
¾ cup (6 fl oz/177 ml) heavy cream
¼ cup (2 fl oz/59 ml) corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
While the bread pudding is baking, in a small saucepan over low heat, reduce the beer to ½ cup (118 ml) and set aside.
Place the butter, brown sugar, cream, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk well until completely smooth, then reduce to a simmer and continue to simmer for about 3 minutes. Slowly add the reduced beer.
Pour the warm sauce over the stout pecan bread pudding.
Beer Suggestions: Pair with the remaining Southern Tier Choklat (Lakewood, New York). Or try Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout (Chicago, Illinois), WeldWerks Brewing Coffee Maple Achromatic (Greeley, Colorado), or Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery Bourbon Dark Apparition (Athens, Ohio).
PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER CINA