Name: Caramel banana bread pudding Recipe
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter; 2 cups lightly packed (13 ounces) brown sugar; 2 cups heavy cream; 1 teaspoon vanilla; Salt; 3 bananas (overripe is preferred), peeled and coarsely mashed; 6 cups diced croissants, from about 3 croissants diced into 1/2-inch cubes; 3 eggs

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By Noelle Carter

May 13, 2010

Cafe 14’s take on bread pudding calls for croissants, which lend a soft, buttery texture to this classic comfort food. Rich caramel and crushed, ripened bananas are folded in before the pudding hits the oven. The resulting dish is a wonderfully rich play on flavors, at once looking like a classic bread pudding, but tasting almost like bananas Foster. It is even better after a quick trip under the broiler to crisp the top layer.

From the story: Culinary SOS: Caramel banana bread pudding

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¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups lightly packed (13 ounces) brown sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

Salt

3 bananas (overripe is preferred), peeled and coarsely mashed

6 cups diced croissants, from about 3 croissants diced into ½-inch cubes

3 eggs

In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and cook, stirring to dissolve. Stir in the cream, vanilla and a pinch of salt and gently bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. When the mixture has come to a boil, remove from heat and set aside to cool.

While the caramel cream cools, toss the bananas and croissants in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk the eggs into the caramel cream to form a custard base, strain and then pour the custard base over the croissants and gently toss. Place the mixture in a greased 9-inch round cake pan or an 8-inch square baking dish. Set the mixture aside to soak for 1 hour. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the cake pan into a larger baking dish; fill the larger baking dish with enough boiling water to come up the side of the cake pan halfway to form a water bath.

Bake the bread pudding until puffed and set, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and water bath, and cool slightly before serving. For a crisp topping, place the cake pan under the broiler just until it begins to brown and crisp on top, about 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the broiler.

Adapted from Cafe 14 of Agoura Hills.

The restaurant serves the bread pudding with caramel sauce and whipped cream.