Bourbon Raisin Butterscotch Pear Bread Pudding

This Bourbon Raisin Butterscotch Pear Bread Pudding is a decadent and delicious adult treat. Make it kid-friendly by subbing apple juice.

When I was growing up, and thinking about it reasonably it’s probably still true today, cakes in South American all seemed to have liquor or liqueurs as flavoring. Even cakes made for a child’s birthday party were soaked in it! Young me hated them. 

Now I see the allure. As long as it’s not overdone, the alcohol adds a little punch of flavor, not unlike adding vanilla but more grown up. One of my favorite ways to add alcohol to a bake is by soaking raisins in it.

If you agree, you might want to bake my rum raisin banana muffins, my whiskey raisin oatmeal bars, or my rum raisin butter Bundt with rum honey glaze.

Once again, this is not a sponsored post but my key ingredient, the butterscotch pears, were a gift from Melissa’s Produce as part of a promotion for their Family Baking Challenge. Lots of great prizes to win including a KitchenAid mixer! You can find all the details on their website! 

Bourbon Raisin Butterscotch Pear Bread Pudding

I used our favorite bourbon – Bulleit - to soak my golden raisins but if you are not a bourbon fan, substitute your favorite tipple. If you need to keep this kid-friendly, use apple juice instead. As you will see in the photos, I used Sara Lee brioche. Substitute your favorite loaf. This recipe is adapted from one on the Melissa’s Produce website. 

Ingredients 

For the bread pudding:

1 cup, loosely packed, or 120g golden raisins

1/2 cup or 120ml bourbon 

2 large Butterscotch Pears (approx. weight = 780g)

Zest 1 small lemon 

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup or 57g butter, plus extra for the pan

3/4 cup or 150g granulated sugar, divided

6 cups or about 265g cubed stale brioche bread (This was 9 slices of the Sara Lee.)

4 eggs

1 cup or 240ml whipping cream 

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch salt

For serving: 

Whipping cream

Method

Warm the bourbon slightly in a microwave or small pot on the stove and then pour it over the raisins in a small bowl. Cover with cling film and set aside. 

Preheat your oven to 325°F or 163°C. The original recipe uses an 8x8 in or 20x20cm baking dish but you will see from the photos, I decided to use disposable aluminum pans to make sharing this delicious pudding easier, which means that I was effectively using an 8x10 in or 20x25cm pan. The bread pudding turns out slightly less deep but still wonderful. Butter whichever pan or pans you decide to use and set aside. 

Core and peel the pears then toss them in a large bowl with the lemon juice to stop them from turning brown.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add a 1/2 cup or 100g of the sugar and stir until combined. Add the pear slices in an even layer. 

Cook, without stirring for 8 minutes until the sugar and fruit begin to caramelize. 

Flip the slices and cook for a further 5-8 minutes until both the fruit and the caramel are golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat. 

Meanwhile, prepare the custard by whisking the eggs in a large bowl, then adding the remaining 1/4 cup or 50g sugar, cream, milk, vanilla, lemon zest, cinnamon and salt.  Whisk again to combine. 

Drain the raisins and reserve the bourbon that wasn’t soaked up. Set aside a small handful for topping.

Spread half of the bread cubes into the prepared pan. Top with half of the raisins. Add a second layer with the rest of the bread cubes and top with the rest of the raisins.

Pour the custard mixture over the bread. Press down to make sure all cubes are soaked.  

Layer pear slices evenly over the top of the bread mixture. Top with remaining caramel from the skillet and the handful of reserved raisins.  

Bake for 55-65 minutes until fully set. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes. 

Pour the reserved bourbon over the top, if desired, and leave it to soak in. 

At our house bread pudding is always accompanied by a generous pour of whipping cream. 

Enjoy! 

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The Back Forty Cocktail #FoodieExtravaganza

The Back Forty cocktail was the signature eponymous drink at Back Forty, Peter Hoffman's casual East Village restaurant and bar. It’s made with maple syrup, fresh lemon juice, whiskey and a few good shakes of orange bitters.

As I have confessed before, the pancake syrup of choice in our house is, and has been for more years than I can count, Aunt Jemima’s Butter Lite. I’ve hauled those plastic squeezy bottles from the United States to five other continents in my luggage. Even here in Dubai, one can find Aunt Jemima’s but not the Butter Lite. They don’t know what they are missing.

But this month my Foodie Extravaganza group is using maple syrup in our recipes so I felt obliged to buy the real stuff. A fairly small bottle is about $8 so a cocktail recipe that would make it last longer than, say, using the whole thing in cookies or cake seemed like a prudent plan.

Just a quick search on The Google led me to The Back Forty Cocktail recipe already published in many places but the most reliable seemed to be in this 2008 article, an interview with then Back Forty bar manager Michael Cecconi. Sadly, I will never taste the original because Back Forty closed this past July but if my homemade cocktail with Canadian maple syrup, Kentucky bourbon and Angostura orange bitters instead of Vermont syrup, Tennessee whiskey and Fee Brothers bitters (none of which are available to me here) is any indication, it was delicious.

Ingredients
2 oz or 60ml American whiskey or bourbon
1 oz or 30ml maple syrup
1 oz or 30ml fresh lemon juice
3-5 dashes orange bitters
Ice

Method
Add the lemon juice and maple syrup to a cocktail shaker and swirl it around to loosen the maple syrup and dissolve it in the lemon juice. Add in the bourbon and a cup or so of ice cubes.
Shake vigorously to combine and serve over more ice in a low ball glass.

Garnish with a lemon slice or lemon peel if desired but know that, as per Mr. Cecconi, the original has no garnish. Because it's perfect just as it is.

Many thanks to this month's Foodie Extravaganza host, Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook. Don't forget to check out all the other maple syrupy recipes we are sharing.

• Basbousa - Egyptian Semolina Cake from Sneha of Sneha's Recipe
• Bangin' Breakfast Potatoes from Rebekah of Making Miracles
• Gluten-Free Maple Chestnut Cookies from Caroline of Caroline's Cooking
• Maple Pecan Bars from Nichole of Cookaholic Wife
• Maple Sugar Cookies from Sue of Palatable Pastime
• Maple Walnut Vinaigrette from Tara of Tara's Multicultural Table
• Momiji Tempura from Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Overnight French Toast Casserole from Elaine of Cookin' and Craftin'
• Roasted Maple Glazed Carrots from Wendy of A Day in the Life of the Farm
• Rosemary Maple Glazed Turkey Breast from Lauren of Sew You Think You Can Cook
• The Back Forty Cocktail from Stacy of Food Lust People Love

Foodie Extravaganza celebrates obscure food holidays or shares recipes with the same ingredient or theme every month.

Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook group Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you!

If you're a reader looking for delicious recipes, check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out here.

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Bourbon Baked Beans #BloggerCLUE

Tangy, spicy, rich, and loaded with bacon, these bourbon spiked baked beans are the perfect side dish for a barbecue or even to serve as the main course with a loaf of crusty bread.

I must confess that here in Dubai, we don’t grill as often during the summer as we do the rest of the year because with temperatures that soar into the 120s°F (49-50°C) the last thing we want to do is light a fire and stand over it. But an assignment is an assignment and this month’s Blogger C.L.U.E. theme is “barbecue and grilling.” So I headed over to learn more about Lisa, the talented writer, photographer and cook behind Authentic Suburban Gourmet and poke around in her blog, as instructed, to hunt for dishes that fit our theme. A search for the word “grill” turned up eight pages of recipes! Clearly this bonafide Bay Area foodie, as Lisa refers to herself, is keen on grilling everything from peaches to cauliflower to flank steak. I was just about choose one of those lovely dishes and take one for the team when that same search for “grill” revealed this flavorful baked bean recipe with barbecue sauce. Sure, I'd have to turn the oven on, but that’s why, on the eighth day, God created air conditioning for the great indoors.

The only ingredient changes I made to Lisa’s recipe were to start with dried beans instead of canned (but I’ll leave both amounts in case canned is easier for you – just rinse them well) and I added a couple of hot peppers. Because we like that kind of heat all year long. She didn’t say what sort of vessel to bake them in so I took the liberty of inaugurating my brand new bean pot (Isn't it pretty?) and sealing the loose-fitting lid with a flour-water dough.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups or 315g dried white beans = 4 1/2 cups cooked beans or 3 cans (15 oz 425g) white beans
8 slices smoked bacon
1 large onion
2 hot red chilies - optional
1 cup or 240ml ketchup
1 cup or 240ml traditional barbecue sauce (I used one labeled BOLD.)
1/4 cup or 60ml bourbon
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: dough seal for bean pot
1 cup or 125g flour
Lukewarm water to make soft dough (I used about 1/2 cup or 120ml.)

Method
If you are going to cook your own beans, pick through them carefully and remove any stones or small clumps of dirt and any beans that have holes or discolorations. Even the best quality beans might have stones since they are usually sorted by machines and the occasional non-bean gets through. Either soak them overnight in cool water or cover them amply with boiling water in a heatproof bowl and leave to soak for one hour.

After an hour covered with boiling water: All plumped up.

If you are using canned beans, pour them into a colander and rinse well.

When soaking time is over, pour off the bean water and put the beans in a pot, covered with fresh cool water. Bring to the boil then lower the flame to simmer and cook the beans until they are tender. Depending on how old (and, therefore, dried) your beans are, this could take an hour or an hour and a half.

Meanwhile, you can get on with the rest of the dish. Chop your onion finely. Do the same with the hot peppers, if using. Cut the bacon into small strips.

Fry the bacon until crispy. Remove it from the frying pan with a slotted spoon and place on some paper towels to drain. I highly recommend hiding this bacon bounty or you might find it all gone before the beans are tender if you leave it irresistibly, invitingly exposed on the kitchen counter.

Spoon or pour out all but a couple of tablespoons of the bacon fat from the frying pan (I recommend saving the fat in a jar in the refrigerator for another use.) then use that same frying pan to sauté the chopped onions and peppers until they are softened.

When your beans are tender, drain them and preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Tender beans

Put your cooked or rinsed canned beans in your bean pot or another ovenproof dish. Measure out the rest of your ingredients and add them into the bean pot or dish.

Don’t forget to add in the bacon, onions and chilies.

Stir everything well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

If you are using a casserole dish, bake it in your preheated oven for about 45 minutes.

If you are using a bean pot, you might want to add a dough seal. Simply put your flour in a small bowl and add enough lukewarm water to form a soft dough. Knead it for a few short minutes.

Roll the dough into a long snake that will reach right the way around the circumference of your bean pot lid. Secure it by pressing it to the rim of the bean pot itself. Gently lay the lid on top and press ever so slightly down.

Bake in your preheated oven for about 45 minutes. Let it cool for about 10 minutes and then loosen the dough seal with a pointy knife.

Remove the lid and serve up the bourbon baked beans!

Enjoy!

Whether you are looking for great grilling recipes or dishes to make for a barbecue, our Blogger C.L.U.E. (Cook, Learn, Undertake, Eat) Society has got you covered this month.

• Artichoke and Green Chile Stuffed Mushrooms by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
• Arugula Salad with Figs, Prosciutto, Walnuts, and Parmesan by Kathy from Bakeaway with Me
• Bourbon Baked Beans by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Classic Southern Potato Salad by Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen
• Cornish Game Hens with Citrus, Herb and Whiskey Glaze by Kate from Kate's Kitchen
• Crinkle Sugar Cookies by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
• Crockpot Chili Dog Sauce by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen
• Grilled Asian-Style Chicken by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Grilled Chicken Shish Tawookby Sue from A Palatable Pastime
• Grilled Salmon with Mojo de Ajo by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
• Grilled Southwestern Chicken Salad by Aly from Cooking in Stilettos
• Grilled Zucchini with Sea Salt and Lemon Zest by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Lemintini by Anna from annaDishes
• Marinated Grilled Flank Steak by Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Oklahoma Spicy Baked Beans by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
• Spatchcock BBQ Chicken by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Steak Kabobs by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Sweet Potato Turkey Burgers by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• White Bean Tomato and Basil Salad by Rebekah from Making Miracles
• Zesty Grilled Ham Steaks by Heather from girlichef

Bourbon Peach Frozen Yogurt

Creamy Greek-style yogurt and canned peaches, blended together with sugar, fresh lemon juice and a touch of bourbon make a wonderful frozen treat everyone will enjoy! Especially my mother. 

My mom is on my subscribers list so she gets every new post by email. (Hi, Mom!) She doesn’t comment here on the blog much but she sends me her thoughts by return email and those often include the request that I make the recipe for her next time we are together. Or some additional family history is that is pertinent to my story. I love that this space is a place we can connect, even when I live so far away. And, because she is subscribed to the feed from other blogs as well, sometimes she shares those posts with me, which brings to mind a quote from Nobel laureate, François Mauriac:

“’Tell me what you read and I'll tell you who you are’ is true enough, but I'd know you better if you told me what you reread.”

In this new day and age, I’d change that to say, “I'd know you better if you told me what you share.”

I’ve gotten to know my mother better from what she shares. And she has made it amply clear that peach is her favorite fruit. Also, she adores thick Greek yogurt. So, for Sunday Supper’s Mother’s Day event, I decided to create a frozen peach yogurt in her honor. It’s creamy, it’s peachy and I know she’d love it. And I’ll be making it again next month when we are together again! (You don’t even need to ask, Mom. Happy Mother’s Day! I love you!)

Note: The bourbon flavor is extremely subtle but the alcohol does help the frozen yogurt stay creamy.

Ingredients
1 large can (29 oz or 825g, drained weight 16.9 oz or 480g) peach halves in light syrup
2 1/2 cups or 625g plain whole milk Greek yogurt
1/2 cup or 100g sugar
1/4 cup or 60ml fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons bourbon

Method
Drain the peaches well and discard the light syrup. (Or use it to sweeten iced tea!)

Set aside three or four peach halves and chop the rest into chunks.

Put the chopped peaches, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice and bourbon in a food processor or blender and purée till the peaches are in tiny, tiny pieces.

Slice the reserved peaches.

Pour the creamy mixture into a bowl or plastic container and chill it in the refrigerator or freezer until very cold but still pourable.

Scrape it into your ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions.

Put the frozen yogurt in a freezer friendly sealable container and stir in a little more than half of the sliced peaches.

Top the mixture with the rest of the sliced peaches and put the container in the freezer.

Remove from the freezer about 10 minutes before you are ready to serve.

Once it has thawed slightly, scoop into bowls or pretty glasses to serve.

Enjoy!

Many thanks to Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla for hosting today’s great Sunday Supper theme. If you are still looking for Mother’s Day menu inspiration, you’ve come to the right place! And Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

Celebratory Sips

• Ginger Shandy by Nosh My Way
• La Vie en Rose by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Momma's Mimosa by Our Good Life

Starters and Salads

• Cheese Bread by Ninja Baker
• Classic Basil Pesto Crostini by Cooking Chat
• Fennel and Radish Citrus Salad by Tasting Page
• Healthy Ham Salad Minis by Momma's Meals
• Pate with Spiced Pears by The Joyful Foodie
• Pesto Pasta Salad by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Super Sunny Dutch Oven Sourdough by What Smells So Good?

Hearty Mains

• Blackberry Almond Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast by The Crumby Cupcake
• Broccoli Cheddar Frittata with Tomatoes by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Chicken and Pepper Rice with Fried Egg by Family Foodie
• Chicken Tajine with Prunes and Almonds by The Petit Gourmet
• Coriander Salmon with Capered Green Beans by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Dutch Baby Pancake by Curious Cuisiniere
• Goat Cheese Scrambled Eggs and Ramps in Puff Pastry by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Mimosa Waffles by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Mushroom Manchego Cream Filled Crepes by Lifestyle Food Artistry
• Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Arugula Salad by Casa de Crews
• Smoked Salmon & Shaved Asparagus Gruyere Quiche with a Pine Nut Crust by Simply Healthy Family

Treats and Sweets

• 5 Favorite Pancake Toppings by Sunday Supper
• Angel Food Cakes in a Jar by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Black Cow Cupcakes by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Blueberry Breakfast Cake by Noshing With The Nolands
• Bourbon Peach Frozen Yogurt by Food Lust People Love
• Cherry Cheesecake Pastry Braid by The Redhead Baker
• Crustless Creamy Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake by Magnolia Days
• Deluxe Salted Caramel Turtle Sundae by The Weekend Gourmet
• Gluten Free Strawberries and Cream Cake by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Lemon Blackberry Mini Tarts by Life Tastes Good
• Lemon Brownies by Pies and Plots
• Lower Fat Peach Cheesecake by Food Done Light
• Mini Chocolate Marshmallow Bombe Soufflé by Nik Snacks
• Mini Lemon Almond Cupcakes by Caroline's Cooking
• Nutella Cheesecake Shooters by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Pavlova by The Freshman Cook
• Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Raspberry Mascarpone Mini Tarts by Palatable Pastime
• Rose Apple Custard Tart by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Soft-Baked Lemon Coconut Cookies by One Sweet Mess
• Steamed Strawberry Coconut Poke Cake by Wallflour Girl
• Sunshine Lemon Cake Pop Bouquet by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Triple Chocolate Layer Cake by Take A Bite Out of Boca

Eggnog Muffins with Eggnog Glaze

These delicious eggnog muffins with eggnog glaze are redolent with bourbon, eggnog, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, are perfect for an easy Christmas morning breakfast or afternoon treat.

It's Muffin Monday at my house, so you know I had to make a Christmasy muffin for you. My current motto is Eggnog everything! If you agree, you'll also want to check out my grandmother's homemade eggnog recipe, my beautiful eggnog pound cake and easy eggnog mousse, a boozy dessert the adults will love.

Eggnog Muffins with Eggnog Glaze

Ingredients
For the muffins:
2 1/2 cups or 315g flour
1/2 cup or 100g light brown sugar
1/4 cup or 50g sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup or 240ml eggnog (store-bought or homemade)
1/2 cup or 120ml canola or other light oil
1/4 cup or 60ml bourbon
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the eggnog glaze:
1 cup or 125g confectioners or icing sugar
2 tablespoons eggnog
1 teaspoon bourbon
Pinch salt

Optional: Decorative sprinkles

Method
Preheat oven to 375°F or 190°C and prepare your muffin pan by greasing it or lining it with paper muffin cups. degrees.

In a medium bowl mix flour, sugars, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

In a large bowl whisk your eggnog, oil, bourbon, eggs, and vanilla.

Fold your wet ingredients into the dry until just combined. A little flour will still show and that’s fine.

Divide your batter between the muffin cups.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool briefly in the pan. Take the muffins out of the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, mix all of your glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.

When the muffins are completely cool, drizzle on the glaze and sprinkle immediately with decorative sprinkles, if using.

Enjoy! Here's to eggnogging all the things!

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