Remember the Lime Sugar?

Here’s the fabulous recipe I promised putting it to good use.  Lime, coconut, and white chocolate bread pudding.  Elise Logan and I were working together in the kitchen again.  Her writing partner, Emily Ryan-Davis, had some bread pudding at a farmer’s market and loved it so much, she asked if we might be able to recreate it.  Of course we said yes.  How do you say no to lime, coconut, and white chocolate bread pudding?  We put our heads together and created this recipe, and not to toot my own horn or anything, but we hit it out of the park. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 ½ cups lime sugar
• 2 cups half & half
• 1 cup milk*
• ½ cup cream*
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup finely shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup white chocolate chunks or chips
• 1 loaf challah
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ¼ cup coconut oil

*Feel free to substitute 1 ½ cups whole milk or half & half for the milk and cream.

Cut your bread into 1 inch thick slices and set it aside. 

In a bowl, measure your butter and coconut oil.  Elise decided her piles resembled little houses and gave them contrasting roofs.  Have I mentioned how much time we spend laughing when we’re together? 

Stir those until they’re thoroughly mixed together. 

Using some of that mixture, generously grease a 9x13 pan. 

Then spread a thin layer on each of your slices of bread.  You won’t use all of the coconut butter, but I can personally vouch for how great it is on toast, especially if you sprinkle on a little lime sugar.  I know, you’re thinking I’ve lost my marbles over this lime sugar stuff, but once you’ve made it, you’ll totally understand.   

Take your buttered slices of bread and cut them into chunks.

Pile the pieces somewhat haphazardly in the pan. 

Sprinkle on the white chocolate.  On the subject of white chocolate… it’s become rather difficult to find good white chocolate these days.  A high quality white chocolate will have cocoa butter as like the second ingredient.  Most of the stuff you’ll find in the grocery store is made from palm oil.  Trust me when I say it’s worth tracking down the good stuff. 

Next comes the coconut.  Just sprinkle it over the top. 

Now set that aside and we’ll start on the custard.  Crack your eggs into a large mixing bowl and add the lime sugar. 

Whisk those together thoroughly. 

Add all of the dairy stuff and the coconut milk and whisk some more.  Don't worry about the little bits of coconut milk.   

Pour that mixture over your bread.  You’ll think it’s not all going to fit in the pan, but it will.  At least, mine did. 

Press the bread down so that it all gets a chance to absorb that fabulous custard. 

Cover it and refrigerate it for at least an hour or two.  Overnight would even be fine.  When you’re ready, preheat the oven to 350°.  Uncover the bread pudding, place it on a sheet pan, and put it into the oven.  Bake it for 60 – 75 minutes.  It should be browning nicely on top and a knife inserted in the middle will come out clean.  Clear moisture on it is fine, but nothing that looks custardy.  You can see why I put it on a sheet pan. 

Allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.  I used a round cutter to cut this piece, but you can just scoop it with a spoon or cut it into squares.  Top it with freshly whipped cream, preferable sweetened with some of that leftover lime sugar, and enjoy.  It’s a perfect balance of lime, coconut, and white chocolate with a luscious creamy texture. 

What have you eaten recently that you’d like to have a recipe for?