In my house, nothing says the holiday season has officially arrived like a warm serving of rum and raisin bread pudding. It’s great on its own, but when you top it with my special chocolate rum cream sauce, it just takes things to another level. I mean, if you decided to have a few servings of the rum cream sauce by itself or put a spoonful or two in your coffee, I wouldn’t blame you.
Bread pudding
3 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
¼ cup rum cream liqueur
4 ounces stale French bread (about ½ loaf), cut into bite-size pieces
½ cup raisins
Chocolate rum cream sauce
3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
¼ cup rum cream liqueur
¼ cup chocolate liqueur
1.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs and sugar on low speed until a creamy yellow paste forms. Add the cream, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla paste and whisk thoroughly. Whisk the rum into the mixture.
2.Add the bread pieces to the milk mixture and stir until the bread is fully coated. Refrigerate the bread pudding mixture for about 40 minutes to allow the bread to soak up all the liquid.
3.Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter 6 ramekins. (Alternatively, an 8-inch square cake pan can be used.)
4.Remove the bread pudding mixture from the refrigerator and stir in the raisins. Fill the ramekins with the mixture.
5.Place the ramekins in a large casserole dish and fill the casserole dish about one-third of the way up with water, creating a water bath for the bread puddings. Carefully place the casserole dish in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the centers are set up.
6.When the bread pudding has about 10 minutes remaining to bake, make the chocolate rum cream sauce. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, rum cream liqueur, and chocolate liqueur. Allow the sauce to bubble over medium heat, then remove it from the heat. Keep warm until ready to serve.
7.Remove the bread puddings from the oven. If a cake pan was used, cut into 9 squares and set on plates. Smother each square or ramekin with chocolate rum cream sauce.