Candlelight, wine, music and location can all work together to set a romantic scene, but there are other things at play.  Fantastical, classical, magical, all definite words per Sir Webster, so what enables the common Joe to take such a literary license and add letters to the traditional term romantic.  Many will say there is no excuse for such a grammatical error you egotistical dim-witted dupe.  It is because of people like you that words like “irregardless” are now mainstream.  Look it up.  While listed in the dictionary, per widespread use in everyday speech, it will still ring incorrect by your ever faithful spell check.  Alas, I think Webster was a romantic and anything or anyone that can surpass the low expectations we’ve come to accept from the word is permitted, with proper execution, to use it in its heightened idealized romantic-al form.

What makes this bread pudding oh so romantic-al you ask?  I think there are a number of attributes generally associated with more romantic or umm seductive foods.  There’s texture, smooth, dense and creamy.  The bread pudding, with the addition of ice cream, is all of these things.  There’s quality, decadent and rich.  Check.  And then there are external qualifiers including but not limited to size and presentation, the aforementioned setting and the company being kept.  The thought that goes behind the choice of recipe is key and if it’s in accordance with the other person’s tastes.   Additionally, is it in accordance with the rest of the meal or did you just consume ½ lb of bread in one sitting?  While you might feel quite satisfied after the consumption of breadsticks, a pizza and bread pudding I doubt you’re feeling very romantic, much less romantic-al.

So I challenge you to give old school romance a run for its money!  Step it up a notch and go for romantic-al.   While apples and bread surely aren’t aphrodisiacs, with a little extra planning as to what unique ingredients might be appreciated, what shape is most aesthetically pleasing and what topping will be the tipping point you too can reach new romantic heights, just like your stacked bread pudding sundae!

Apple Upside-Down Bread Pudding

Serves 6.

• 1 granny smith apple, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 T butter, plus more for greasing
• ¼ t nutmeg
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1 t minced ginger (optional)
• 3 cups white stale white bread, cut into cubes?
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup regular milk or cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter 6 porcelain ramekins.  In a sauté pan, melt butter, add sugar, spices and apples and cook until tender.  Arrange a thin layer of apple in the bottom of each ramekin.

In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, milks, and cinnamon.  Combine with bread and let stand for 15 minutes.  Fill ramekins with bread mixture and bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffy and dry.  To remove, run a knife around the outside of the ramekin and flip onto a plate.  Top with ice cream or sauce of your choice and enjoy!

NOTE:  You could substitute the apples for pears, add raisins and nuts, or switch spices.  I went with ginger because I wanted it to compliment the main course.

Yay for summer and all its accoutrements!  It’s not even national ice cream month yet and already 2 free scoops or 3 depending on how much advantage you took of the situation…

Here’s another for you and those steamy all American firefighters!

In case you need something to help get you through the work week, tomorrow is:

 

Iced Coffee Day!  50 cent Iced Coffee All Day Long!!!  Better yet it helps support Homes for Our Troops!  

                                 And my personal favorite Free Cone Day!  

                                                                                                     

Happy Tuesday – You know where to find me!