Heavenly Bread Pudding

This is such an amazing recipe.  It made amazing bread pudding, which I then topped with a homemade vanilla sauce.  The best part?  One serving of this pudding with the sauce on top only has 6 grams of fat!  Pretty awesome for a super filling dessert!

I got the original recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (which is seriously worth buying, I LOVE it!).  Here's the link: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/desserts/bread-pudding/

4 beaten eggs
2-1/4 cups milk*
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups dry French bread cubes or regular bread cubes (6 to 7 slices bread)* *
1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries, or raisins  (we tried raisins and meh, I could have taken or left them)

*The recipe just said "milk," and we had whole milk for our toddler and 1%.  I used 1 1/2 cups of whole milk and 3/4 cup of 1% milk.  I think using 2% for the whole thing would be best!
**To dry bread, start with fresh bread cubes; place in a large shallow baking pan and bake in a 350 degree F oven about 10 minutes, stirring twice.


1. In a large bowl beat together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, orange peel (if desired), and cinnamon. In an ungreased 2-quart square baking dish toss together bread cubes and dried fruit; pour egg mixture evenly over bread mixture. Press lightly with back of large spoon to moisten all bread.  


2. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until puffed and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool slightly. Serve with Vanilla Sauce.

3. Makes 8 servings, 191 cal. per serving, 4 g of fat per serving.

Vanilla Sauce:
(takes about 10 minutes, I started it about 10 minutes before the bread pudding was done baking)

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup boiling water (or just really really warm works)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
dash of salt

1. In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar and cornstarch.  Slowly stir in boiling/hot water.  Cook over medium heat until mixture is gently boiling.  Boil for 5 minutes; remove from heat.  Stir in butter, vanilla, and salt.  Serve over bread pudding!  Yum!

2. Makes 1 1/4 cups sauce, 63 cal. per serving, 2 g fat per serving.

The best part of this recipe was that the calories are pretty low considering a good dessert can have 300 or 400 calories easily.  And it was so filling, I ate one piece and was stuffed!

Enjoy!

PS A scone recipe is one the way courtesy of my sister-in-law!  I'll post it soon!