Maple Banana Bread Pudding: Heaven in a Bowl

This is turning into quite a sweet week here ... sugar is in the air! My cozy dessert mood has continued, most likely due to the rain splattered windows and chilly, damp air, so indulging in one of our family favorites was comforting.

Nursery desserts - soothing, soft bowls of creamy sweetness - have always been a weakness of mine. I adore them all, whether it's rice pudding, tapioca, mousse, fool or graham nut pudding. Custards make me happy (and don’t even get me started on crème brulee).

I am particularly fond of bread pudding. I appreciate the thriftiness of leftover bread heels and stale crusts being transformed into a luscious, pleasing dessert. Simple ingredients - eggs, cream, sugar and bread - form the basis of the pudding, allowing you to add other flavors that inspire you.

A number of years ago I discovered Maple Bread Pudding in Bon Appetit and it has become a mainstay in my repertoire. Maple syrup shines here and adds earthy, sublime sweetness. I’ve adapted this rich pudding slightly to create variations depending upon my mood or what’s on hand. Toasted walnuts, cacao nibs, chocolate chunks, toasted coconut, maple sugar candy or some combination of these have all been scrumptious. Chopped bananas have emerged as my go-to addition, though.

Topped with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of butterscotch sauce, this dessert will elicit sighs of contentment. There’s nothing like snuggling under an afghan on the couch with a bowl of warm pudding to brighten the grey skies.

Maple Banana Bread Pudding
Adapted slightly from Bon Appetit, September 2004
Serves 8

8 eggs
1 quart heavy cream or half and half
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups maple syrup, divided (preferably Grade B)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 pound of challah or other egg bread, torn into small pieces
3 bananas, chopped

More options to add if desired:
Toasted walnuts
Cacao nibs
Chocolate chunks
Toasted coconut flakes
Crumbled maple sugar candy

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, brown sugar, 1 1/4 cup maple syrup and vanilla together. Add the challah and stir to combine. Let sit for about an hour, until the bread is well soaked. Stir the bananas into the mixture (or any other yummy additions).

Preheat the oven the 375 degrees. Butter a 9x13 inch or similar sized baking dish. Pour the pudding into the baking dish and spread evenly. Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup over the top.

Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the pudding is puffed and lightly browned. Serve warm and enjoy.

Holding On To Summer with a Fresh Blueberry Tart

This weekend we’re trying to grasp onto the last bits of summer here. My boys return to school next week (they’re both in high school this year ... where does the time go?) and before the whirl of a schedule begins we have a few days to savor. At the moment, I’m looking out the window at an overcast sky that promises to burn off and give us a sunny day. I love this early morning feeling of a glorious day ahead.

I’m also remembering last weekend when our family went over the mountains to Winthrop for a quick little get away. It was a fun blast of summer with lots of hot sun, stunning mountain views, Mexican food eaten by the river, dripping ice cream cones (again by the river), watching Hot Fuzz and relishing the lazy feelings of August.

Rather than driving back over the mountains, we wound our way home along the Columbia River and through acres and acres of beautiful orchards. Dotting the side of the road were farm stands selling peaches and apricots from the orchards, blueberries, sweet corn and tomatoes. It was dusk and the stands were closed, otherwise we’d have been making many stops. As we neared our house in Seattle, I asked Bob to slow down so I could read the hand-written sign posted on our neighborhood berry stand - would there still be blueberries this week? Yes! I gave a big sigh of happiness.

Knowing the season is nearing its end, I want the blueberries to shine. For the rest of the year, frozen blueberries can be substituted when baking muffins or tossed in to my morning oatmeal, but right now I want to taste these sweet berries in a dessert where they are fresh and pop in every bite I take.

With this in mind, I played around with a recipe clipped from Bon Appetit long ago to create a fresh pastry which satisfies this desire. This blueberry tart is a gorgeous way to showcase the end of summer and is quick to make. Indulge in a slice (or two) and soak up a few more moments of summer over Labor Day weekend.

Fresh Blueberry Tart
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Serves 8

Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, blend the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and pulse until clumps form. Gather the dough into a ball and press it over the bottom and sides of a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Pierce the bottom with a fork all over and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

Filling
1/2 cup agave syrup
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 cups fresh blueberries

Stir the agave syrup, cornstarch, salt and lemon juice in a medium saucepan to blend. Add butter and 2 cups of blueberries. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils a bit, stirring a few times. Remove from heat and gently mix the remaining 4 cups of blueberries in. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and spread evenly.

Chill the tart, uncovered, for at least an hour. (You can prepare the tart 1 day ahead, just cover loosely with foil and keep in the refrigerator.) When ready to serve, remove tart from pan and cut slices.