Bread Pudding Goes Tropical

Mangoes and macadamia nuts add a delicious tropical flair to bread pudding. A golden caramel layer provides sweetness and color to the topping. MANGO-MACADAMIA

BREAD PUDDING

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 large ripe mango

9 eggs

3 cups milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

2 quarts large chunks white or French bread

3/4 cup macadamia nuts, toasted

Place 1 1/4 cups sugar in non-stick skillet over medium heat. After few minutes, stir gently. Heat until evenly caramelized, stirring occasionally. Quickly pour into 3-quart baking pan, tilting pan so caramel covers entire bottom. Cool.

Hold mango stem end up on cutting board with narrow side toward you. With sharp knife, make vertical cut down through fruit about 1/2 inch to the right of stem. Turn fruit and make similar cut on other side. Peel skin from center section of fruit and cut flesh away from seed in cubes. Remove flesh from other fruit slice and cut in cubes. Reserve mango cubes. Remove flesh from remaining slice and cut in thin wedges. Arrange wedges on top of caramel in pan.

Beat eggs with remaining 1 cup sugar, milk and vanilla until blended. Stir in melted butter. Stir in bread chunks, reserved mango cubes and macadamia nuts. Turn mixture into prepared pan.

Place pan in larger pan filled halfway with water. Bake at 350 degrees 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes, then turn onto serving dish. Reheat pan if necessary to remove caramel and add caramel to top of pudding. Makes 12 to 15 servings.