Blueberry Bread Pudding with Blueberry Sauce - Dishing Up Vermont

Let me start by saying that this recipe is not mine. I came across it in Dishing Up Vermont who credits the Nutmeg Country Inn & Bakery in Wilmington, VT. I normally prefer to share recipes that I have developed, or at least adapted in some significant way. But this recipe is so good just the way it is there is no need to alter a thing. And if you like blueberries you'll love this. I once had a friend take a bite and declare it "orgasmic." I've made this recipe with fresh and frozen blueberries and there is a pretty significant difference, I truly recommend waiting for blueberry season to make this dessert with fresh, ripe, local blueberries.

Ingredients:
For the pudding 
1 tablespoon butter
1 loaf of challah, brioche, or Hawaiian sweet bread
2 cups blueberries
1 cup whole milk
3 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
Pinch fresh nutmeg (optional)

For the sauce 
2 cups blueberries
¼ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon lemon zest
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Slice the bread into bite size cubes (about 1-inch) and place in a bowl. Let the bread cubes sit out uncovered for a few hours, up to overnight. Day-old bread works best.

Make the blueberry sauce by combining all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a bowl, and then immediately remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. You can strain the sauce if you want - sometimes I do it, sometimes I don't. Chill for a few hours. Warm before serving.

Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking dish (or individual soufflé cups) with butter. Spread half the bread cubes evenly in the dish, layer with 1 cup of blueberries. Add the remaining bread cubes and cover with the remaining cup of blueberries (do not try to toss the bread and blueberries, the blueberries will all end up on the bottom of the dish). Place the entire baking dish in a large roasting pan and set aside - the bread pudding needs to cook in a water bath/bane marie. Preheat the oven to 300F and bring a pot of water to a simmer.

Combine the milk, cream and vanilla in a saucepan and warm on low heat. Whisk to combine the egg yolks and sugar, until the sugar has mostly dissolved. Carefully add the warm milk and cream to the egg-sugar mixture. Start by tempering the eggs (slowly add a small amount, this will bring the temperature of the eggs up, but won't scramble them) and whisk continually until fully combined. You should strain this if any of the egg has cooked.

Pour the mixture over the bread and blueberries, wait for the bread to soak up all of the mixture - you may have to add the egg-cream mixture in multiple steps. Carefully add the simmering water to the roasting pan, being careful not to splash the pudding. Bake for 1¼ hours.

Generously, pour the blueberry sauce over the bread pudding to serve.

Bon appetit!