Banana Bread Pudding

Boma, Animal Kingdom Lodge

This recipe was provided by pastry chef Edward Villacorta.

Yield: 12 servings.

12 croissants (or any bread with high butter content, such as  brioche or challah)

1 quart milk

1 quart heavy cream

13 eggs

1 pound 3 ounces granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

8 whole bananas, sliced

6 ounces butter, melted

Heat oven to 320 F. Cut bread into cubes. Place them in a 10-inch  round, 2-inch deep baking pan. Slice bananas. Mix with the bread.

Prepare custard by mixing the eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, milk  and heavy cream. Pour custard over bread, making sure bread is  soaked. Brush top with melted butter. Place baking dish on a large  jellyroll pan. Fill jellyroll pan with water to create a gentle water  bath while the pudding bakes.

Bake for 1 hour, 15 minutes. Top will be golden, and skewer  inserted into the pudding should come out clean.

Vanilla Sauce

24 ounces heavy cream

12 ounces milk

¼ ounce vanilla extract

4 ½ ounces sugar

1 ounce cornstarch

6 each egg yolks

Heat up milk, vanilla, and heavy cream. Dissolve cornstarch with  egg yolks. Add sugar.

Once liquid boils, temper some of the liquid into the yolks and stir  vigorously. Then return tempered yolks into the pot.

Turn off the heat and stir continuously until well combined and  thickened. Transfer the sauce into a bowl and set over an ice bath  to cool.

Source:  Orlando Sentinal