Galatoire's Bread Pudding with Banana Sauce

There was a time when the dessert was often overlooked at Galatoire's. Patrons focused on the savory dishes and were simply too full to eat dessert.

The simple, elegant dish changed all that. Unlike most bread puddings, this one is light and airy, its texture resembling that of pan perdu, or "French toast".

If you do not have an over-sized muffin pan, one-cup ramekins or baking dishes that have been well buttered may be used to cook the puddings.

• 11 Large Eggs
• 1 1/3 Cups Granulated Sugar
• 1 Quart Milk
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 24 4 Inch French Baguette Slices
• 1 Pound Butter
• 1 Pound Light Brown Sugar
• 4 Each Bananas
• 1/2 Cup Praline Liqueur *
  

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon and whisk until well blended.
3. In a nonstick over-sized muffin pan (for 2), place 2 slices of the bread into the bottom of each muffin cup. Pour the egg and milk mixture into each muffin cup. Allow the bread to absorb the mixture and repeat the process until the bread is saturated and the muffin cup is full (it might take 3 or 4 fillings to totally saturate the bread and fill the cup).
4. Bake the pudding mixture for 35 minutes, or until the pudding has turned golden and set in the pan.
5. While the pudding is in the oven, melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the light brown sugar and whisk over the heat until smooth. Slice the bananas, stir them into the sauce, and add the praline liqueur. Reduce the heat to low to keep the sauce warm.
6. When the pudding is baked, remove from the oven and allow to sit for 15 minutes to cool. Invert the muffin pan to remove the puddings and expose the custard. Place each on the center of a plate and ladle the sauce onto the pudding. Serve immediately.

* Praline Liqueur will soon be available online at FoodieAffair.com (still under construction)