Today is my group’s reveal day for the Secret Recipe Club. What is the SRC? Basically you are assigned a fellow participant’s blog by the organizer and then you pick a recipe of your choice from that blog and make your version of it. But it is a secret, you cannot reveal whom you picked and what you made until the established posting date and time.
Over the last few months I have often read blogs of the lucky few who got the The Heritage Cook as their SRC match. So when I saw I was the lucky one to recreate one of Jane’s recipes I was ecstatic. Where to start! There are so many recipes on her blog it is mind boggling. It really took me a long time to finally settle on one recipe. More about that in a bit.
Jane is an avid cook, baker, and passionate foodie. She says she fell in love with cooking when she got her first Easy Bake Oven.I so remember having one too! Ah the memories. Jane was also heavily influenced in the kitchen by her wonderful grandmother Mimi. I wish I lived where Jane live: in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have been to San Fran 3 times in my life since one of my best friends lived there for a while. I spent about a month in total there living like a tourist and a local while I stayed at my friend’s place. Jane sasy she has a wonderful selection of some of the best fresh ingredients, such as heirloom, organic, and sustainable crops that grow all year long. My favorite quote from her: “try a new recipe and if it doesn’t turn out, we can always order pizza! “
So what on earth would I settle on as a recipe. I decided to go with Jane’s Creamy Coconut Bread Pudding. I LOVE bread pudding and the more original the flavor the better. What really got my attention here was the lemongrass. The flavors reminded me of an old recipe I made once for a Lychee, Coconut and Lemongrass English Pudding. It was a challenge of steaming the pudding and I used the version where you needed suet or the such. Hated the crust part but loved the filling.
Ξ Creamy Coconut Bread Pudding Ξ
adapted for the hot and lazy person
Ingredients
6 cups of 1-inch cubes of white bread (with crusts)
2 cups half-and-half
1-1/2 cups shredded unsweetened dried coconut
1 (13-1/2 or 14 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
4 tbsp prepared minced lemongrass
Pinch of salt
6 large eggs
1/2 cup shaved palm sugar or packed light brown sugar
Directions
Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Put the cubed bread in the prepared baking dish.
Whisk the half-and-half, 1 cup of the coconut, the coconut milk, the lemongrass, the salt, the eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Slowly pour in the half-and-half mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture over the bread and push down all the bread with a spoon to submerge it. sprinkle with the remaining toasted coconut. Let stand for 1 hour or up to overnight in the fridge covered.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until set and the edges start getting a bit brown. Spoon the warm pudding into bowls and serve immediately.
I did a lot of modifications to the recipe. Now the original recipe looks amazing and is probably much creamier and flavorful than my version because I did not toast the coconut or bread and I did not make the custard. With the crazy hot temperatures there was no way I was going to slave over a hot stove and hot burners in my zero-air-circulation tiny kitchen. I mean it is 29 C/ 84 F in my kitchen right now. So I did a quick version, my usual bread pudding technique, with all of her ingredients. I keep frozen finely chopped lemongrass in my freezer so I used that instead of stalks of lemon grass. I left the lemongrass in the mixture as I like the taste and this way the mixture would infuse as it cooks. I am very happy with my quickie version and recommend it if you don’ t have as much time or convenience either.
You probably did just find by not making the custard. You don’t even need to! If there’s enough liquid, the bread will get moist enough and keep lots of flavor. Sounds good!
WOW!!! I think this is the best bread pudding I’ve seen. As a coconut lover, I must try this recipe. I’ve never tried bread pudding before but cannot resist this look! YUM, Evelyne! This is wonderful!
I can SO relate to not wanting to heat up the kitchen! I turn on one burner and immediately start sweating bullets. No fun. But a great adaptation nonetheless!
WOWZERS!! I’ve never heard of coconut bread pudding and I can just imagine how scrumptious it tastes. Great pics too! What a fun recipe exchange idea. 🙂
I’ll have to pass. I’m not a big fan of coconut.
I had to giggle at your adaptation statement 🙂 I love breaad pudding and a coconut version sounds just amazing!
My husband is a huge fan of coconut. This pudding would thrill him!
I adore coconut ANYTHING! This bread pudding must be heavenly!
Looks beautiful! Great choice!
This looks incredible, I love the lemongrass paired with coconut — that would have caught my eye too! Thanks for introducing us to Jane, I’m off to check out her blog!
Lovely! I adore bread pudding-definitely one of my fav desserts. Love the coconut flavor here – wow!
I absolutely love bread pudding–this looks easy and so very good.
Oh! This coconut bread pudding sounds and looks fabulous…I kind of like the idea of coconut milk and lemongrass.
Thanks for the recipe Evelyne and have a wonderful week ahead 🙂
The lemon grass would catch my attention too, what a wonderful flavor with the coconut. Looks like a wonderful dessert.
If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to check out my SRC entry: Chicken Satay Noodle Salad.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
what a great recipe I love it!
What wonderful comments, I am blushing! This is one of my favorite recipes and I can just imagine how good your version tastes. I also love the simpler technique. This is definitely on my to-make list!!
Jane definitely does have a pretty amazing blog with some of the most mouth watering recipes and photos! Yum!
This is a fabulous pick and I love that it is coconut!