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Got Leftover Bananas? Make This Indulgent Version of Banana Bread
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Ripe bananas offer a fruitful lesson in time management. Exiting a grocery store with bright yellow bananas in tow, I always feel like I have endless time to use them. Skip forward a few days, and I’m rapidly casting about for ideas for how to rescue my soft, browning fruit from a trip to the compost bin. That’s how I came across this banana bread pudding from chef Nichole Accettola, chef and owner of Kantine, a Scandinavian-inspired eatery in San Francisco, and author of Scandinavian from Scratch.
“When I found myself at work with a bunch of ripe bananas, a soft bread pudding with creamy pockets of chocolate custard seemed like the perfect way to use them up,” Accettola told me. Bananas aren’t the only ingredient that finds new purpose in her dessert — stale bread is also essential because of its drier texture, ideal for soaking up the custard. Accettola recommends day-old sourdough to give the pudding a subtle tang, balancing the sweetness of the chocolate and banana. Serve this craveworthy dessert à la mode for a cooling contrast to the warm and gooey bread pudding. — Andee Gosnell
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is bread pudding?Traditionally, bread pudding is made by mixing stale bread with an egg-based custard. There are many flavor variations of bread pudding, including savory bread pudding recipes and bread pudding desserts.
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Can I freeze bread pudding?Once the bread pudding slices have cooled to room temperature, you can freeze them. In order to preserve their freshness, they should be stored separately in freezer-safe bags.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
For custardy desserts like bread pudding that require gentle heat, Accettola recommends a water bath, or bain-marie. The water surrounding the dessert holds a steady temperature, ensuring the custard doesn’t curdle.
To remove the baking pan from the water bath, grab the two corners closest to you with kitchen towels, and gently lift and slide the pan out to avoid getting towels wet. Alternatively, place a spatula under the baking pan, and lift the pan out of the water until you can pick it up with an oven mitt or kitchen towels. If you don’t have day-old bread, you can lightly dry out fresh bread cubes by baking them at 325°F for five to seven minutes.
Make ahead
Leftover bread pudding can be cooled completely, covered, and stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. To serve, reheat pudding in a 350°F oven until warm, 15 to 25 minutes.
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