RECIPE: BESSIE'S CRANBERRY ORANGE BREAD PUDDING

This recipe was shared with me by my good friend and former producer, Jason Burnett. You may remember him from the Homemade podcast. He interviewed me for one of the episodes. Meet Martie: Homemade Podcast Episode 14: Meet Martie Duncan

Bessie was Jason’s beloved grandmother and this is her recipe, with a few tweaks. It is my favorite bread pudding for the holidays; try it and you’ll serve it every year.

CRANBERRY ORANGE BREAD PUDDING 

1 large baguette, brioche loaf or other bread like leftover rolls, torn or cut into cubes

1/4 cup Grand Marnier

2/3 cup Craisins or dried cranberries

5 large eggs, room temperature

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon orange zest

scant pinch kosher salt

1 quart heavy cream (or you can use half and half)

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (fresh grated is best)

 Slice or tear bread into 1" cubes allow to sit out 2 hours.

Pour Grand Marnier over cranberries and allow to soak for 2 hours. 

Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

Add eggs and sugar to an extra-large bowl; whisk together well. Add vanilla, zest, salt and cream. Add the dried cranberries plus Grand Marnier. Mix well. Add bread. Allow to soak for an hour, pushing it down into the liquid.  

When ready to bake, butter a large heatproof casserole dish. Check the bread by pulling a cube apart to make sure it is soaked through and not dry in the center. Remove the bread from the liquid, one large spoonful at a time and place into the prepared casserole dish. Once you have added all the bread, pour the liquid over it. Push any exposed cranberries into the bread because they will burn.

Put the dish into the preheated 350˚ F oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until it is set and golden brown. How long you bake it will depend on how deep your dish is. You will need less time if it is a shallow dish.

RECIPE: EASY TO MAKE HOMEMADE CRANBERRY SAUCE

While I secretly LOVE the jellied canned cranberry blob of my youth, this whole cranberry sauce is a million times better and it is so easy to make. It stores in the fridge for a month so you can make it well in advance of the holidays and it makes the best condiment for your leftover turkey sandwiches! Leave out the orange liqueur if you must but the alcohol cooks off so it does not taste boozy.

WHOLE CRANBERRY SAUCE

Makes 1 1/2 pints

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup water

1 package fresh cranberries

Pinch salt

1 tablespoon orange zest

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

Juice of 1/2 orange with pulp

Combine water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil; add cranberries, salt, and orange zest. Return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add Grand Marnier. Return to heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange juice. Cool completely. Store in a glass canning jar with a lid. Keep refrigerated until serving time. Set out 30 minutes prior to serving to take the chill off.

RECIPE: PUMPKIN ROULAGE aka PUMPKIN ROLL OR PUMPKIN ROULADE

Roulage… does anyone remember when I made the chocolate roulage on Food Network Star? Since then, I have become known for this dessert, which is quite famous in Birmingham, where I am from. I first learned this pumpkin version from a friend many years ago and then later merged that recipe with one from chef Katie Pickens who was the culinary director for chef Michael Symon. Katie and I judged an episode of Beat Bobby Flay. This is one of my holiday favorites as it bakes quickly, and you can make it a few days in advance. It freezes beautifully. The only special equipment you need is a jelly roll pan and parchment paper.

A half sheet pan is too large so make sure you use an actual 11 x 15-inch jelly roll pan.

PUMPKIN ROULAGE/PUMPKIN ROLL

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.

CAKE:

2/3 cup Libby’s brand canned pure pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

Zest of 1 orange

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

FILLING:

8 ounces whole cream cheese, room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup Confectioners sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For the Cake: Prep an 11 x 15 inch jelly roll pan by lightly spraying with cooking spray. Add parchment paper, slightly larger than the pan. Lightly spray again. Set asie.

Whisk pumpkin, sugar, and eggs together in a bowl. In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice.

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until smooth. Spread into the pan. Shake to even out the batter. Drop the pan twice to remove air bubbles. If you see any on the top, prick them with the tip of a knife.

Bake at 350˚ for 14-15 minutes or until the center is dry and springy. If any cake sticks to your finger, let it cook until the center is dry. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan.

Put another sheet of parchment on the counter. Dust the paper with Confectioners sugar.

Turn the warm cake out onto the sugar. Remove the original parchment. Use the edge of the new parchment to roll the warm cake into a tight spiral. Put on a pan and into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours to set the spiral. You can allow this to set in the refrigerator overnight.

For the Filling: Add the room temperature ingredients to a bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on low until the sugar is incorporated then beat on medium high until fluffy.

Unroll the cake. Evenly spread the icing all over the cake, leaving 1/2” border on the other edge so you do not push the icing out as you roll it up. Roll it as tightly as you can. Dust with powdered sugar.

Freezes beautifully.