Croissant and chocolate bread pudding

• Bread and butter pudding is one of Britain's oldest traditional family desserts. This is one of our favorite dessert too because it is delicious and simple to make. Making bread pudding is also a good way to use up day-old bread. 
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• I've used croissants instead of white bread for yesterday's bread pudding. It is a wonderfully take on the classic. Croissants is also easy to get in many groceries store. Here is the recipe that I used to make my croissant and chocolate bread pudding. :)

• Ingredients: 

• Unsalted butter for the baking dish
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 croissants, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 pound)
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into chunks, (I used mini chocolate chips)
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• Heat oven to 375° F. Butter an 8-inch square or other shallow 2-quart baking dish.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg. Add the croissants and chocolate and mix to combine.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake until set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Bubur Pulut Hitam (black glutinous rice dessert)

This was our dessert last night and it's hubby first bubur pulut hitam. After he finished his bowl, he said its good but not his favorite. :( I was disappointed but its OK because this is my favorite dessert. I just think he is not use to eat this dessert.. oh well, I can have it all to myself. LoL!!! There are many variations to make bubur pulut hitam; some added the coconut milk when the black glutinous rice becomes thick. After so many reviews, I prefer to have the coconut milk as a topping and my bubur is not too watery. :)

Ingredients:

1 cup of black glutinous rice

1 pandan leaf

sugar to taste

water

coconut milk

Rinse the black glutinous rice with water thoroughly until the water turns clear. Fill half of the pot with water. Add pandan leaf and bring it to boil. Reduce the heat and add the black glutinous rice into the pot, cover. Cook for 45-60 minutes or until the rice becomes soft and breaks up. Remember to keep checking the water level, add more water if it become too dry. Add sugar to taste. Then simmer for a few more minutes while constantly stirring until the mixture becomes thick. 

To serve, pour into a bowl and a few tablespoon of coconut milk as topping. You may add an extra amount of topping if you prefer creamier ones. :)

Notes:

• Put a porcelain spoon into the pot while cooking so that the rice are cooked faster. 
• You can use brown sugar or white granulate sugar if you do not have gula melaka (palm sugar).
• Leftover bubur pulut hitam, store it in a tight-sealed container and keep in the refrigerator.

Bubur merah, bubur putih

This dessert is not unusual with Malay families in Singapore. Usually served at birthday parties or at a thanksgiving feast. My mom would make this dessert using the red color sugar but since I am unable to get any red color sugar here, I used the brown sugar. Many used the glutinous rice but others would use regular rice. The brown/red part is usually sweet and the white part is a little salty. My first time to make this delicious dessert. Wonderful.

Ingredients:

1 cup glutinous rice, washed

2 pandan leaves (screwpines), knotted

water

1/2 cup coconut milk (used 1 cup regular 2%milk)

salt to taste

brown sugar or gula melaka

sugar

In a pot, cover glutinous rice with enough water and milk. Add the pandan leaves and salt to taste. Let it boil under a medium heat. Stir often to avoid the rice from sticking on the bottom of the pot. Once the rice has soften, from 1/3 of the amount of rice. Set it aside. The remaining 2/3, add the brown sugar and stir well. Add the white sugar is not sweet enough.

To serve,  scoop the brown glutinous rice first then drop a tablespoon of the white glutinous rice. Enjoy!

Chocolate Eclairs Square

Our close friends had a cookout today and I had promised them that I will make a dessert for the cookout. Yesterday, I was still thinking which dessert? Should I make a pie, warm dessert, fruity dessert or no-bake dessert... I checked my dessert recipes books and the Internet.. so many delicious desserts.. I cant decide which one I really want to make so I asked my hubby for help. I gave him 4 types of desserts and asked him to choose one.... Oh boy!!! It was the right choice!! Chocolate Eclair Squares!!! They were FABULOUS!!! I said it again FABULOUS!!! This recipe is very easy, inexpensive and quick. No bake, just need 4 hours to chill. I got up early this morning, and start making this dessert. I also added something extra to my dessert.. Chocolate frosting!! At the cookout, everybody enjoyed it specially my hubby. The twins' mom is very picky about her food and I was so happy when she tried and said "its very gooood......" :) :) This recipe is definitely a keepsake. Thanks Kraft Foods for this fabulous dessert!!!!

Chocolate Eclair Squares
Recipe from Kraft Foods.

Ingredients

2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

2 cups cold milk

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

64 NILLA Wafers

2 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Beat pudding mixes and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in COOL WHIP.
Arrange 16 wafers on bottom of 8-inch square dish; cover with 1/3 of the pudding mixture. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining wafers. Refrigerate 4 hours.
Microwave chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min or until melted when stirred. Drizzle over dessert.

Beginning......

Layered.....


(@ the cookout) I snapped a picture before it runs out... hehe...


The twins' mom made this delicious orange cake! oh boi! I brought back some for a midnight snack!! LoL!!!!! :P