bread pudding

"flask", i hear you ask. "how can i make awesome bread pudding like yours?'

well, i am here to help.

start with stale bread. i like to use homemade bread, and maybe a quickbread that got freezerburned. you can use any bread but if you start with good bread, you're going to get a pudding with more flavor.

i use about 3/4 of a loaf. take whatever bread you're using, cut it up into cubes and toss it into a big bowl. toss the cubes with spices. i always use cinnamon, and usually cloves and a little ginger. i also like coriander and cardamom and today i tried out a little sumac.

then put in raisins. you can use as many or as few as you like. i like a lot of raisins, both black and white.

meanwhile, take some nice eggs, two or three, and beat them lightly. splash in about three cups of milk and some vanilla. i tend to go heavy on the vanilla. put maple syrup in that mix. don't skimp on the maple. and use good maple. don't even bother to measure it. put a lot in.

then pour the wet mix in on the dry mix and stir it up some. mash it more for a denser pudding. mash less for fluffier. tuck the whole thing into a lightly greased loaf pan (i like a baking spray), and pour a couple of tablespoons of melted butter over the top.

stick it in the oven at 350 degrees for a while, until a knife comes out dry-ish if you stick it in. not dry, like a bread, but you shouldn't be drawing out liquid.

when it's done, take it out of the oven and let it rest until it's cool enough to eat without burning your mouth. then but it on a flat plate and put maple syrup on it. use a flat plate so you can lick it clean without pulling a muscle.

it's kind of like french toast loaf.

i like it. i like it very much.