Make Bread Pudding at Home: Sweet or Savory, It Warms the Stomach in Winter

Photography/ Liu Chen-hsiang

I hear that my old friend, director Chen Huai-en, is traveling all over Taiwan, China. Years after finishing "Island Etude," I had only seen his literary documentary films - he directed the episode on poet Yu Kwang-chung for "They Write on the Island." A while ago, I happened to hear from Mai Mai-shi that director Chen's next film would probably deal with agriculture, so we arranged to meet and discuss the "Clean Cooperative Farming, Sustainable Contract Cultivation" plan.

That day, director Chen brought a bag of bread. Looking at it, it turned out to be Xi Yuan Hang's hazelnut multigrain bread. He said, "This is already a day old." The bread looked extremely plain, much like the unpretentious staple food that European families make - simple in appearance, with real substance, the everyday food of ordinary people.

Unfortunately, the youngest child in the family, who loves bread most and whom we often jokingly call "the foreigner," has severe allergies, so I imposed a "bread ban" on him. This Xi Yuan bread, a milestone marking Taiwan's homegrown wheat, was only eaten a few slices before being put aside in the freezer. Every time I see it lying there in that "icy snowfield," I think about how to make good use of it, to do something with it, so as not to betray Director Shi's "Wheat Rhapsody."

Xi Yuan Bread's Director Shi promotes the revival of local wheat, launching the "Wheat Field Study" program in 40 elementary schools, letting children learn about local wheat and also eat healthy, local, delicious bread.  Photography/ Wang Wen-hao

With a Few Clever Moves, Leftover Bread Becomes Everyone's Favorite

For nearly twenty years, bread has long been a main part of Taiwanese people's diet, because bakeries are everywhere in the streets and alleys, and many families buy bread for breakfast. Almost every household has some leftover bread. Leave it too long, and even re-toasting it probably won't restore the texture of fresh out of the oven. How can you find a way to use it again and turn something ordinary into a magical, delicious dish?

Of course I thought of "bread pudding"! This bread dish that almost never fails, in the cold season as temperatures gradually drop, its warm, moist, juicy texture is especially comforting to the stomach.

Many countries have various different bread pudding recipes and methods. This should count as a very home-style bread dish in European and American countries. There are French versions and British versions. You can add alcohol, add fruit, add ham. In short, it suits both sweet and savory. The sweet version, hot out of the oven, is sweet and soft, and almost no child dislikes it; the savory version, with shredded cheese, minced ham, pepper and salt, is also quite appealing; I myself mess around and make an egg vegetarian version, using minced dried tofu or minced mushrooms instead of minced ham, soy milk instead of milk, while keeping the eggs.

As for where "bread pudding" actually originated, one saying is that it comes from the thrifty nature of the British, transforming leftover bread into a gorgeous bread pudding. This claim may not be entirely trustworthy, but as long as you can make delicious food, who would still investigate its origin?

A Rich and Lavish Dessert That Anyone Can Make Look Good

Taiwanese bakeries used to sell this kind of bread too, but who knows when it disappeared. Although it is rarely sold on the market, because it is very easy to make, you might as well make it yourself. Just tear the bread, beat and stir all the ingredients, pour everything together, and it can go into the oven. The only thing needed is patience while waiting, and its success rate is not 100 percent, but about 95 percent.

With harsh winter approaching, this rich and lavish dessert is quite suitable for adding a lively atmosphere to the winter dining table.

Almost any bread can be made into bread pudding, especially unfinished toast, croissants and the like - never throw them away lightly. Through the clever work of your hands and the ingredients, you will be surprised at how capable you are.

San Francisco locals prefer savory bread pudding, especially when serving meat dishes, they pair it with savory bread pudding topped with gravy. As long as you have fresh herbs on hand such as scallions, chives, rosemary, basil and so on, they are very suitable for savory bread pudding. Never use dried goods, lest the whole flavor become closed and stagnant, wasting time and effort for nothing.

Sweet bread pudding has the splendor and romance of French desserts. Scoop a big mouthful and eat it, and the milky fragrance and fruity fragrance fill your mouth. You must eat it quickly while it is still a little warm.

"Wheat Rhapsody" carries the mission of reviving Taiwanese wheat, and making delicate-textured bread from Taiwanese local wheat may still have some way to go, but when Xi Yuan Hang's coarse-job's barley multigrain sunflower seed bread transforms into bread pudding, it is simply like a clear-featured girl putting on just the right makeup, so elegantly outstanding; brew a pot of black tea to go with it, and what more could you ask for in life at this moment?

Savory Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

1. Leftover bread 250g, torn into 2-inch pieces
2. Fresh herbs about half a bowl, chopped finely
3. Shredded cheese 2/3 bowl; soft and hard kinds can be mixed for a more layered texture, or you can use all PIZZA cheese shreds
4. 1/4 bowl minced ham or minced bacon (if using bacon, best to first render the oil out in the pan; vegetarians can substitute diced dried tofu briefly sauteed until fragrant)
5. Whole milk 750CC (can also be substituted with unsweetened non-GMO soy milk)
6. 3 large eggs
7. A small handful of pepper
8. A pinch of salt

Method:

1. Prepare a deep baking dish, round or square is fine, and grease the bottom and sides with butter.
2. Mix the herbs, cheese, ham (bacon) and bread by hand and place into the baking dish.
3. Stir and beat the milk, pepper and salt together in a large bowl, then pour into (2).
4. Place in the middle rack of an oven preheated to 195°C for about 45 minutes (please judge according to the differences among ovens; at first you can set it for 40 minutes). When the surface turns brown, open the oven and test by inserting a toothpick into the pudding. If it does not stick, it is done and can be eaten hot.

Sweet Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

1. Leftover bread 250g, torn into 2-inch pieces
2. 1/4 bowl raisins or diced dried mango (choose organic if possible), soaked in half a cup of rum, then drained and set aside once flavored.
3. Half an apple diced, soaked in salt water, drained and set aside.
4. Some cinnamon powder.
5. Whole milk 750CC
6. 3 large eggs
7. Fine granulated sugar 40g

Method:

1. Beat 3 eggs evenly, add milk warmed at low temperature, stirring gently.
2. Put the bread, raisins (dried mango) and diced apple into the baking dish, and mix by hand.
3. Pour (1) into (2), and sprinkle cinnamon powder evenly over the top.
4. Place in a water bath in the middle rack of an oven preheated to 195°C for about 30 minutes (still judge according to the differences among ovens). When the surface turns brown, open the oven and test by inserting a toothpick into the pudding. If it does not stick, it is done.

You can use sauteed dried tofu instead of bacon to make delicious vegetarian bread cubes

The bread cubes have a crisp outer surface and a soft, fluffy interior