Butterscotch Boulevard

DEAR SOS: I recently had the most delicious butterscotch bread pudding at the Boulevard in San Francisco. It was, without a doubt, the lightest pudding and most interesting presentation I’ve seen. Could you try to obtain the recipe?

DEANNE VANDERNOOT

Pacific Palisades

DEAR DEANNE: Chef Nancy Oakes of Boulevard sent this recipe for the pudding with its crumb topping and caramelized walnuts. Yummy.

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BOULEVARD BUTTERSCOTCH BREAD PUDDING

TOPPING

1 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 tablespoons espresso powder

1/4 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

CARAMELIZED WALNUTS

3/4 cup walnuts

1/3 cup light or dark corn syrup

1/4 cup sugar

PUDDING

2 1/2 cups milk

2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup bourbon

4 eggs

2 egg yolks

3 cups (1/2-inch cubed) white bread

Butter for greasing ramekins

TOPPING

Combine flour, brown sugar, espresso powder and walnuts. Work in butter with hands until mixture is crumbly.

CARAMELIZED WALNUTS

Toss walnuts with corn syrup. Toast on baking sheet, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer nuts to cool baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar.

PUDDING

Heat milk, whipping cream, brown sugar and bourbon in saucepan until sugar dissolves. Whisk together eggs and yolks. Whisk warm milk mixture into egg mixture and strain into large bowl. Add bread to strained liquid and soak at least 2 hours.

Fill 8 (8-ounce) buttered ramekins almost to top with bread mixture. Sprinkle with Topping and Caramelized Walnuts. Place in baking pan with hot water about halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake at 350 degrees until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. If runny, cook few minutes longer.

8 servings. Each serving:

900 calories; 344 mg sodium; 314 mg cholesterol; 55 grams fat; 90 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams protein; 0.77 gram fiber.

* Serving dishes from Bristol Kitchen, South Pasadena.