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Just Desserts

Because sometimes you need more than just the main course...

White Chocolate Bread Pudding
  • 2 cups each: whipping cream and half-and-half
  • 8 ounces white baking bars, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 8 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 baguette (about 25 inches), thinly sliced
  • Sliced almonds and coarse decorating sugar, if desired
  • 1 (12-ounce) package frozen raspberries, thawed

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease a shallow 3-quart casserole (13-by-9-by-2-inch).

Heat cream and half-and-half to boiling in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in baking pieces; remove from heat. Beat sugar, egg yolks, vanilla and salt until creamy. Gradually add cream mixture, beating constantly, until smooth.

Line casserole with baguette slices. Pour 2 cups cream mixture over bread. Let stand a few minutes until bread absorbs mixture. Add remaining baguette slices. Pour remaining cream mixture over bread, 2 cups at a time. Let stand a few minutes until bread absorbs mixture. Sprinkle with almonds and decorating sugar.

Place casserole in roasting pan; place in oven. Pour boiling water 1 inch deep into roasting pan.
Bake bread pudding, uncovered, 1 hour and 50 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean. Cover with foil after 45 minutes.

Raspberry sauce: In a food processor or blender, cover and blend raspberries until smooth; strain seeds.

Serve with raspberry sauce, and, if desired, fresh raspberries.

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