Satiate Your Sweet Tooth With Banana Jameson Bread Pudding

If you’re anything like me, your brain is immediately hardwired to think of what sweet treat you’ll enjoy the second you finish a savory meal. It’s a curse, but if having a sweet tooth is wrong, I don’t want to be right. When I’m hankering for a little bit of decadence following a big meal, any dessert sounds like a great option — but in my opinion, the way to truly level up any dessert is by adding a dash (or two) of booze.

Bread pudding has been a staple after-dinner treat in Irish homes for centuries, and when made with banana-infused Jameson, it makes for a dangerously delicious dessert — especially when the recipe comes from the youngest American chef to ever receive consecutive Michelin stars. Developed by chef Marc Forgione, who began his culinary career at just 16-years-old, and pastry chef Lindsey Farr at Forgione’s multi-Michelin-starred Restaurant Marc Forgione, this lusciously delicious Banana Jameson French Toast Bread Pudding is perfect for satisfying your sweet cravings.

The supple dessert has been a classic staple at the restaurant and quickly became a fan-favorite among the establishment’s patrons. There’s no question as to why. Sweet brown sugar and banana notes blend seamlessly with hints of vanilla and cinnamon, all enhanced by the addition of banana Jameson, which carries some molasses notes of its own. With hearty bread and the oak finish of Irish whiskey, this bread pudding recipe offers the perfect blend of savory and sweet, certain to satisfy any after-dinner cravings.

Serving four, this dessert is perfect for small dinner gatherings — or for devouring completely on your own (I promise, no one will judge you).

Marc Forgione’s Banana Jameson French Toast Bread Pudding

Serves 4

Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• ¾ cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup dark corn syrup, optional
• 3 ripe bananas
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons banana Jameson (recipe follows)
• 2 ½ cups cubed bread, like brioche or challah

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Adjust rack to the middle.
2. Butter an 8×8 baking dish. Distribute bread chunks evenly in the dish.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and corn syrup until smooth. Whisk in bananas, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, and banana Jameson.
4. Once completely incorporated, pour mixture over the bread. Press the bread down into the custard.
5. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 20 minutes, or overnight (up to 12 hours).
6. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top has browned.
7. To test if it’s finished baking, press gently on the top. It should feel like jello.

Banana Jameson Hard Sauce

Ingredients

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tablespoon banana Jameson, with more to taste (recipe follows)
• 1 egg (optional)

Directions

1. Cream the butter until soft with the back of a spoon.
2. Gradually add sugar and salt and beat ingredients until you’ve achieved a smooth, soft consistency.
3. Beat in banana Jameson and egg.
4. Sauce can be served warm or cold. We recommend the former so that the sauce soaks deeper into the pudding.

Banana Jameson

Ingredients

• 3-4 bananas, peeled and sliced
• 750-milliliter bottle Jameson Irish Whiskey

Directions

1. Add bananas and Jameson to a sealed container, and infuse for three to four days.
2. Strain out banana slices and pour infused Jameson into the original bottle or another sealable container.
3. Note: The infused Jameson will have a slightly cloudy appearance.