It’s March! One of my favorite months of the year! While technically still winter, I can see the first signs of spring especially when we get those randomly warm days. It’s also the month of St. Patrick’s Day and Spring Break trips. So fun all around!
This month on the Hungry {Romance} Writer, the men in my Deadly Force series have decided to take a break from searching for their enemies to accepting an even bigger challenge thrown down by Zack Tremaine. Zack, one of the ex-Green Berets who lives at Iron Rack’s Gym in Savannah, is also the hero of IN SEARCH OF TRUTH (book 3 in the series).
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Zack has come up with the Iron Rack’s Whiskey Challenge. It’s not a taste test, but a cooking contest. Zack has challenged his buddies to come up with the best recipes where whiskey (bourbon) is the main ingredient. Since Zack set down the contest, he’s going first. And today’s recipe is Bread Pudding and Whiskey Sauce. 🙂
Zack Tremaine ~ “It’s been a stressful time here for my buddies at Iron Rack’s Gym. My life imploded in IN SEARCH OF TRUTH, and the chaos affected all of my men. So to make up for all the craziness, I took over what my buddy Alex affectionally calls “Operation Forced Fun.” Think movie nights or basketball games where we all spend time together, reminding each other that there’s more to life than fighting our enemies.
So here’s the challenge I offered my men for the month of March: Take your favorite whiskey and make some kind of food. But there are some rules:
- Any kind of whiskey or bourbon can be used but it must be purchased specifically for this contest. That means no one is allowed to run to Calum Prioleau–our friend who is also the richest man in town–asking to raid his expensive liquor cabinet.
2. The food must be edible. Sounds obvious, but there are ten of us, including Detective Garza, and only one of us can cook. (That would be me.)
3. The food must be made in the gym’s upstairs closet we use as a kitchen. This makeshift kitchen only has a hotpot, toaster oven, and crockpot. We also have a grill outside, in the small patio behind the gym. But no cooking at home! (I’m looking at Nate and Cain who get to live with their wives instead of above the gym.)
4. No teams. If a man wants to enter, he works alone.
5. No cheating with offering free, preliminary tastes and asking for help. See above rule about working alone.
5. No asking the women we love for help. That goes for wives, sisters, girlfriends, Nanas, etc.
6. While we all get to vote on the best food item, the women we love make the final decision if there’s a tie.
When I offered the challenge in the last staff meeting, I mostly got strange looks and loud sighs. But now I’ve got a few takers. So far Alex, Cain, and Ty have stepped up. While I’m hoping more will join us, I’m glad to have them. Especially because, as I’ve mentioned before, they are the worst cooks in the group. That means I’m sure to win. And…I’m making something I know my fiancee Allison adores. It’s the same breakfast I made her in IN SEARCH OF TRUTH as well as the meal I made her once she agreed to marry me. (which we’ll do sometime soon, I hope).
So let’s get started. Luke and Nate have set up picnic tables outside on the back patio and Allison is decorating them with flowers and tablecloths. She even found an old record player and has put on some music. I told her not to bother because none of my buddies care–we mostly eat off of paper plates in between running the gym and working as bouncers at a nearby club. But since she thinks nice silverware and place settings and floral arrangements will help me win, I’m not complaining. Besides, I have work to do. Because today I’m making Bread Pudding and Whiskey Sauce.
I hope you all enjoy it as much as I know my buddies will. 🙂
Bread Pudding and Whiskey Sauce
Ingredients
Pudding
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 2 Tablespoons whiskey
- 1 day old French bread baguette
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup toasted almonds optional
Whiskey Sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons whiskey
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
Bread Pudding
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In a small saucepan, combine raisins and whiskey, heating until it simmers. Remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes.
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Slice bread into 1/2" cubes, approximately 8 cups. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, whisk half and half, milk, eggs, and brown sugar until blended. Whisk in vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir in the bread cubes and raisins (with the liquid) and mix until the egg mixture coats the bread. Let the bread stand for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
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Heat the oven to 325℉ and butter a 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Spoon the bread mixture into the baking dish and bake for 1 hour or until firm and lightly browned. Remove the bread putting to a rack and save with whiskey sauce and toasted almonds.
Whiskey Sauce
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In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, milk, and sugar. Set aside.
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In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the whiskey. Set aside.
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In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and set aside.
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Heat the saucepan with the milk and sugar over medium heat. Slowly stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cook until the mixture boils, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
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Add 1/2 cup of the hot whiskey sauce to the egg yolk, stirring constantly. Add that mixture back to the saucepan. Cook for 1 minute and whisk in the salt, vanilla, and butter. Serve over the bread pudding.
