Before I can even begin to talk to you about this fantastic recipe for Pain Patate Bread Pudding, I have to tell you about my recent trip to Haiti!
In December I went to Haiti to not only visit my family, but also to volunteer at an orphanage for handicapped children. When we got to the orphanage, I had the opportunity to help feed the children who couldn’t feed themselves.
This may sound like a small thing, but to me, with my nutrition degree, I was able to understand how important it is find people to care for these children who can’t care for themselves. I also was able to relate what I learned in class about feeding children with disabilities to real life.
Being able to not only feed the kids, but to bond with them through that feeding was amazing.
In other news… in Haiti, one of the most common desserts is called Pain Patate. If you have no idea what this is or what it even means, it literally means “potato bread” and it is a baked potato pudding with raisins, coconut milk, and other delicious flavors. What I set out to do, was take this recipe that can be annoying and time consuming to make and translate it into a bread pudding.
The bread becomes the carrier for the Caribbean flavors of ginger, nutmeg, coconut, and lime all while having the soft texture of a bread pudding. To make this even better, I know… you didn’t think it was possible! I topped it off with a rum sauce that I made with Haitian Barbancourt Rhum which brought this to the next level. This is the recipe I used: Rum Sauce
You probably don’t have Haitian rhum so feel free to use whatever rum you have.
Even if you’ve never tasted Pain Patate, I highly suggest that you try out this recipe and taste the flavors of the Caribbean.
- 1 13.5 fl oz can coconut milk
- 1 12 fl oz can evaporated milk
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp lime zest about 1 medium lime
- 4 eggs + 1 yolk
- 1 loaf stale challah bread, cubed
- 3 bananas, sliced
- 1/2 cup raisins
- In a sauce pot, combine the ingredients coconut milk through lime zest. Whisk until the butter is melted and combined.
- Whisk eggs together, then whisk the milk mixture into the eggs a little at a time until fully incorporated. If you add the milk too fast, the eggs will cook and become scrambled. Make sure you take your time with this step!
- Grease 9 by 13 pan or individual ramekins.
- Layer bread, bananas, and raisins into the pan. Pour the custard on top and push down until bread is submerged. (I don't submerge my bread all the way because I like the crunch that I get from the toasted bread.)
- Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes until the custard is set when the top springs back slightly when touched.
- Serve with your favorite rum sauce recipe! I used http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/reviews/spiced-rum-sauce-105704 with Haitian Barbancourt Rhum!
