Banana-Nut Bread Pudding

Banana-Nut Bread Pudding

I don't know about in your home, but in mine, there generally aren't leftovers when it comes to dessert. They tend to disappear in a frenzy of forks, spoons, and fingers as soon as they hit the table with only a lonely blob of whipped cream left to tell the tale. So here is a recipe for turning some Banana-Nut Bread into a quick and delicious dessert.

makes 1 eight-by-eleven-inch pan

1 loaf Banana-Nut Bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan

2 bananas, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch slices

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups whole milk

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch kosher salt

½ cup confectioners' sugar, for dusting

2 cups whipped cream, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350°F. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, toss the bread cubes with the butter to coat well. Place in the preheated oven and toast until golden, about 15 minutes. To evenly toast the bread cubes, use a spatula to turn the bread cubes over halfway through toasting. Then, remove from the oven and cool.

Grease an 8-inch-by-11-inch baking pan with butter. Transfer the toasted bread cubes to the baking pan. Toss in the banana slices and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch, making sure to break up any lumps of cornstarch. Whisk in the milk and eggs, dissolving all the sugar in the milk. Add the vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt, stirring to combine. Then, pour the milk mixture over the cubes of bread in the baking pan. Allow the bread to set and soak up the mixture for about 10 minutes.

Cover the baking dish with a sheet of parchment paper, and a sheet of aluminum foil. Then, place the baking dish inside a larger baking dish or roasting pan. Fill the larger dish with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the bread pudding dish to create a hot-water bath. Bake the pudding in the preheated oven in the hot-water bath for 1¼-1½ hours. Uncover the pudding dish during the last 10 minutes of baking and allow the top to brown slightly. Then, remove from the oven and cool. Dust the top of the bread pudding with confectioners' sugar and serve with whipped cream.