Cortlandt’s Bread Pudding

Name: Cortlandt’s Bread Pudding
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 12
Ingredients: 1 ⁄ 2 lb. butter, plus more for pan; 1 1 ⁄ 3 cups plus 5 tbsp. light brown sugar; 1 cup heavy cream; 1 ⁄ 4 cup whiskey; 1 cup roasted, unsalted whole cashews; 1 ⁄ 2 cup coarsely chopped pecans; 1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. vanilla extract; 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups milk; 2 eggs; 1 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1 pinch salt; 1 loaf Italian bread, cut into 1"-thick slices; 2 cups chilled heavy cream; 6 tbsp. brown sugar; 4 tsp. whiskey; 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Serves
serves 12

This recipe was named after Cortlandt Inge, chef and owner of the now-closed 14 South Restaurant in Fairhope, Alabama. Inge's whiskey sauce is what gives this bread pudding its deep, rich color.

Ingredients

For the Bread Pudding and Whiskey Sauce

¹⁄₂ lb. butter, plus more for pan
1 ¹⁄₃ cups plus 5 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
¹⁄₄ cup whiskey
1 cup roasted, unsalted whole cashews
¹⁄₂ cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¹⁄₂ cups milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1 loaf Italian bread, cut into 1"-thick slices

For the Brown Sugar Whipped Cream

2 cups chilled heavy cream
6 tbsp. brown sugar
4 tsp. whiskey
1 tsp. vanilla extract

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the whiskey sauce: Put butter and 1 1⁄3 cups brown sugar in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir mixture with a wooden spoon until butter melts, then stop stirring and continue cooking until syrup reaches 280° on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in cream, whiskey, cashews, pecans, and 1 tbsp. vanilla, then set aside.

Step 2

Make the bread pudding: Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a medium baking dish and set aside. Beat together milk, remaining brown sugar, eggs, remaining vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Soak bread slices in milk mixture, then fit snugly in a single layer in prepared dish (you may have to squeeze slices together). Pour any remaining milk mixture over bread. Spoon two-thirds of the whiskey sauce over bread and bake until crusty and brown, 45–50 minutes.

Step 3

Make the whipped cream: Beat together heavy cream, sugar, whiskey, and vanilla in a bowl until soft peaks form. Serve bread pudding with reserved whiskey sauce and whipped cream.

Make the whiskey sauce: Put butter and 1 1⁄3 cups brown sugar in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir mixture with a wooden spoon until butter melts, then stop stirring and continue cooking until syrup reaches 280° on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in cream, whiskey, cashews, pecans, and 1 tbsp. vanilla, then set aside.
Make the bread pudding: Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a medium baking dish and set aside. Beat together milk, remaining brown sugar, eggs, remaining vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Soak bread slices in milk mixture, then fit snugly in a single layer in prepared dish (you may have to squeeze slices together). Pour any remaining milk mixture over bread. Spoon two-thirds of the whiskey sauce over bread and bake until crusty and brown, 45–50 minutes.
Make the whipped cream: Beat together heavy cream, sugar, whiskey, and vanilla in a bowl until soft peaks form. Serve bread pudding with reserved whiskey sauce and whipped cream.