Jasper’s ‘Basic’ Bread Pudding Is Simply Delicious

DEAR SOS: While in Boston last month we ate at Jasper’s. The entire meal was great, but the dessert, a bread pudding, was the best we have ever had. Do you think you could get their recipe?

--ROSEMARY

DEAR ROSEMARY: Chef/proprietor Jasper White sent us the cranberry bread pudding recipe used at the restaurant. It also appears in his new cookbook, “Jasper White’s Cooking From New England,” (Harper & Row: $27.95).

White writes: “This recipe is a basic formula for an old-fashioned, bread-and-butter pudding with the addition of cranberries. The cranberries give little bursts of tartness that balance well in the smoothness of the pudding. For purposes of cooking and appearance, it is important to cut the bread in uniform rectangles so that it makes perfect rows in the pan. The pudding should be served warm with custard sauce or heavy cream.”

JASPER’S BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING WITH CRANBERRIES

1 day-old baguette

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3 cups milk

6 whole eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Custard Sauce or whipped cream

Cut bread into 3-inch sections. Square off sections by removing crust. Slice each section lengthwise into 2 rectangular pieces no more than 1/2 inch thick.

Scatter 2/3 cup cranberries over bottom of lightly greased 7x11-inch baking dish. Brush both sides of bread pieces with melted butter and place over cranberries in neat rows. Arrange pieces to overlap slightly, giving shingled effect.

Whisk milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla vigorously until smooth. Gently pour mixture over bread and cranberries. Let stand 30 minutes, occasionally pushing down on bread to absorb as much liquid as possible.

Sprinkle remaining cranberries over top and bake at 325 degrees 30 minutes or until edges are set and wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. If pudding top is not brown, remove pudding from oven and place under broiler to brown slightly. Watch carefully to prevent scorching.

Let stand 15 minutes. Cut into squares, using rows of bread as guide. Serve with Custard Sauce or whipped cream. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Custard Sauce

1/2 vanilla bean

2 cups milk

4 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

Split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into heavy saucepan. Add bean pod and milk. Heat to just below boiling, then remove from heat. Cover and let steep 20 minutes. Scrape bean again and add any scrapings into pot. Discard bean pod.

Whisk together egg yolks and sugar and add warm milk gradually, stirring often, until all milk is added. Return to pot and cook over low heat until custard coats back of spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Strain and chill. Makes 2 cups.

DEAR SOS: Que Pasa restaurant in Sherman Oaks serves delicious corn cakes. I have looked in a dozen Mexican cookbooks but have been unable to find a recipe for them. Can you help?

--MRS. M.M.

DEAR MRS. M.M.: The corn cakes featured at Que Pasa are also served at El Torito grills, both owned by the El Torito Restaurant Inc. chain.

EL TORITO’S SWEET CORN CAKES

2 tablespoons lard

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup masa

3 tablespoons cold water

10 ounces frozen corn kernels or 2 large cobs, kernels removed

3 tablespoons cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Place lard and butter in mixer bowl and whip until butter softens. Continue whipping until mixture becomes fluffy and creamy. Add masa gradually and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Add water gradually, mixing thoroughly.

Place corn kernels in blender and blend until coarsely chopped. Stir into masa mixture.

Place cornmeal, sugar, whipping cream, baking powder and salt in large mixing bowl. Mix quickly. Add butter-masa mixture. Mix just until blended.

Pour into 8-inch buttered baking pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees 40 to 50 minutes or until corn cake has firm texture. Allow to stand at room temperature 15 minutes before cutting. Cut into squares or use small ice cream scoop. Makes 10 (2-ounce) servings.

Note: Serve with grilled poultry, meats or Mexican food.

DEAR SOS: Would you please help me find a recipe for my mother, who is searching for a mayonnaise cake recipe that my grandmother made during the 1930’s and ‘40s. The only thing I know about the cake is that it was chocolate and very moist. Can you help locate this recipe?

--LORAIN

DEAR LORAIN: Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake was a rage back in the ‘30s and ‘40s. The Kraft Inc. people traced such a recipe to a cookbook dating back to the 1930s, but the origin of the recipe is unknown.

CHOCOLATE

MAYONNAISE CAKE

2 cups sifted flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Cream together mayonnaise and sugar, blending well. Add flour mixture and water alternately in 3 additions to creamed mixture.

Turn batter into greased and floured 13x9-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees 30 to 35 minutes. Cool and frost as desired. Makes 12 servings.