Bread Pudding Filipino Style

 INGREDIENTS:

 Day old bread, one loaf or a big bowl full of left over bread

 1 can condensed milk

 3 eggs, beaten

 1 c milk

 1 tbsp. Vanilla 

 Raisins, 3/4 cup

 3/4 cup white sugar for glazing

HOW TO:

1. In a big bowl, tear you bread into pieces, you can rid of the crusts or you can keep them. It's up to you the key is to mash them well.

2. Add in all the ingredients except raisins. Soak the bread with the wet ingredients for a minute to soften it up. 

3. Mash with a handheld masher until free from big lumps (it will still be a bit lumpy and don't mistake this for a batter- it isn't). If you think it needs more milk just add enough but not too much that it's thinned out. Add raisins, blend well.

 *just refer to the picture below that's how it should look like. 

In the meantime- caramelize your sugar....

Use a tin that is big enough for the mix and place it directly over the stove fire and pour in the sugar. DO NOT LEAVE as can easily burn! Tilt tin every which way until sugar has melted and has evenly coated the insides of the tin and until you get a very golden color- take away from heat, turn stovetop fire off. Be mindful of the tin as that can get really hot. The whole process takes less than 5 minutes so do not leave tin on stovetop. The sugar will solidify as soon as it's not in contact with the heat but that's normal so don't panic :) 

4. Pour in the mix evenly over the caramelized tin, so to speak and place in the middle rack of the oven. Place a smaller tin on the bottom rack half-filled with water- this keeps it moist.

Bake at 180 deg. for 30-40 minutes or until it gets puffy and the knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Once cooked, let it cool a little bit, run a butter knife through the inside of the tin to loosen the edges- grab a plate or cake stand which is bigger than the tin and invert- and for goodness sakes use a mitten hehehe... It should easily come off the pan. Enjoy it while warm but tastes as good when cold.

Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. 

It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements. 

-Marcel Boulestin