I never know what to do with leftover bread crusts. We are a gluten free house, which means that the bread we buy is already barely edible. That said, I’m not one to throw food away, and there must be 3 bags of heels and bread bits in the freezer. Our various attempts to use these bits and pieces usually end in glorious feasts for the squirrels and birds.

This bread pudding recipe was perfect because it requires that the bread be soaked into a soggy mush, something that happens naturally to gluten free bread whenever it gets wet.

Recipe Notes:

• Use 6 pieces of smaller gluten free bread – mixed heels and regular pieces
• I did not use boiling milk, but melted the butter, poured it on top of the bread, then poured the milk on top of that and mixed it up a bit.
• Let stand in the fridge for 45 minutes, then mash with a fork.
• Incorporate the other ingredients.
• Bake 45 minutes at 350° in a 9×9 buttered baking dish

Next time I would add raisins or another fruit to the recipe.

Hard Sauce

Hard sauce is the frosting that usually comes on top of cinnamon rolls or sticky buns. We would know it today as a butter cream frosting. You can make this by mixing together powdered sugar, softened butter, a little milk to moisten, and any flavoring – vanilla extract, lemon extract and zest, orange peel and zest, etc.

More Fun Discoveries

• Corn Bread Recipe ~1905
• At the Head of the Vegetable Class Stands Bread ~1856
• Eggs and Bacon Another Way ~1808

Source: The Original White House Cook Book: Cooking, Etiquette, Menus, and More from the Executive Estate, 1887 Edition. F.L. Gillette and H. Ziemann.