that’s peachy!

We had such a slow start to summer in the Northwest. According to a local farmer, our peach season lasted exactly one week in Oregon. I must have blinked. I needed one more peach fling this year, (I had my first fix earlier this summer in Georgia.) I broke down and bought fresh Washington peaches at a local fruit stand. They're a bit of a disappointment. What's the best thing to do with peaches not quite up to par? You make recipes that include peaches, but avoid giving them the lead part. They become more of a supporting actress to all the other ingredients.



Peach Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

To make this you'll need: 3-4 ripe peaches (2 cups), eggs, sweetened condensed milk, hot water, vanilla, unsalted butter, cinnamon, one loaf of rustic bread.



Just ignore the corn syrup in this photo for now. You'll need that later for the sauce though.

Slice peaches in half, remove peel and pit. Measure out approximately two cups.



Place peach halves in a bowl.



Mash them. They don't need to be pureed smooth, let them be chunky.



Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, pour one 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk. Yum!



Crack three eggs into the bowl with the milk.



Mix it up.



Add 1/4 cup of unsalted butter.



Add 1 1/4 cups hot water.



Add one teaspoon of ground cinnamon.



Add one teaspoon of vanilla.



Pour in the mashed peaches and mix that all up good.



Grab a loaf of rustic bread and rip it up into smallish pieces.



Keep ripping until you have four cups of bread chunks.



Put the bread pieces into the mixture and stir until the bread is saturated with liquid.



Spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray and pour the mixture into it.



Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for one hour and ten minutes.

While the bread pudding is baking, make the sauce.

Caramel Sauce

You'll need: brown sugar, unsalted butter, light corn syrup, rum.



In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup, 1 Tablespoon rum, and 1/2 cup butter.



Bring to a boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until it's slightly thicker. Let it cool a little.



Remove the bread pudding from the oven and inhale deeply through your nostrils over the top of it.



Serve warm with warm caramel sauce poured over and top it with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop or two of ice cream.



A few fun peach facts:

• The peach originated in China and has special significance in Chinese culture. It has mystical attributes, and supposedly brings luck, abundance and protection.

• The peach tree is considered to be the tree of life and its fruit is the symbol of immortality and unity. Peach blossoms are frequently carried by Chinese brides.

• The term, “you’re a real peach” originated from the tradition of giving a peach to someone you liked.

Here's the recipe in its entirety...


Peach Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce
PRINTABLE RECIPE
Serves 10


Ingredients

2 cups fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and halved
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups hot water
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups rustic bread torn into small pieces

Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1 Tablespoon rum

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Chop the peaches and lightly mash them into a mixing bowl. Combine the sweetened condensed milk and eggs. Mix. Stir in the butter, cinnamon and vanilla. Add mashed peaches and mix. Add the bread chunks into the mixture and stir until the bread is completely moistened. Pour the pudding into the baking dish.

Bake about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

While the pudding is baking, combine the brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, corn syrup and run into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is slightly thickened.

Remove the pudding from the oven and let it cool for about ten minutes before serving. Serve warm with the caramel sauce. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.

I hope you have a peachy day!