Indian Bread Pudding with Cardamom Sauce

The exotic flavors of rose-flower water and cardamom are typical in Indian and Middle Eastern desserts. The bread cooks in a mixture of milk and sugar, but without eggs -- so it's not as creamy as a typical bread pudding. Instead, it's topped with a rich custard sauce.

Pudding:
9 (1-ounce) slices white bread
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Cooking spray
1 cup evaporated fat-free milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon rose-flower water (optional)

Sauce:
2 tablespoons sugar
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon finely chopped pistachios

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. To prepare pudding, trim crusts from bread. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet; brush with melted butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes or until toasted.

3. Remove bread from oven; cool 5 minutes on a wire rack. Cut each slice into 4 squares. Arrange slices in overlapping rows in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

4. Combine evaporated milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, and rosewater, if desired, stirring well with a whisk. Pour mixture evenly over bread. Cover with foil; chill 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6. Bake pudding, covered, at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

7. To prepare sauce, combine 2 tablespoons sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Heat whole milk in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat to 180 degrees or until tiny bubbles form around the edge (do not boil). Gradually add hot whole milk to egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.

8. Place milk mixture in pan; cook over low heat 6 minutes or until mixture coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; stir in cardamom.

9. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 5 minutes, or until sauce cools to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

10. Arrange 6 warm bread pudding squares on each of 6 dessert places. Top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons sauce and 1/2 teaspoon pistachios. Yield: 6 servings.

Calories: 272 (29% from fat); Fat 8.7 g (sat 3.8g, mono 2.5g, poly 0.6g); Protein 9g; Carb 41.9g; Fiber 2.6g; Chol 90mg; Iron 1.2mg; Sodium 352mg; Calc 191mg

"Warm Desserts for Cold Nights"
Article by Jean Patterson
Copyright 2002 by Cooking Light.
Originally published in Cooking Light, November 2002.