Pressure Cooker Bread Pudding

Serves 4 in about 1 hour. A pressure cooker recipe built around tbsp dark rum* and heavy cream.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups water, for the pressure cooker
• 2 tbsp dark rum*
• ½ cup raisins
• 7 cups day old brioche or challah bread, cut or torn into cubes
• ½ cup pecans, chopped
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¾ tsp vanilla
• ¾ tsp cinnamon
• 1 pinch of salt
• ⅛ tsp nutmeg
• 1 ¼ cups half and half, or milk
• 2 tbsps butter, melted
• 4 tbsps butter
• ¼ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp dark rum*
• ⅛ tsp vanilla

Method

1. Soak the raisins in the rum for 15-30 minutes (Do not discard rum. keep it nearby). Or use hot water or hot apple juice to soak them.
2. Spray or butter a 1.5 to 2 quart oven safe dish and keep it nearby
3. Set the bread cubes and pecans in a mixing bowl. Toss to mix. keep it nearby.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until well combined.
5. Tip in vanilla, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and half and half. Beat together well.
6. Drizzle in the melted butter as you whisk. Keep whisking until well combined.
7. Take the raisins from the rum (save the rum) and add the raisins to the bread cubes, tossing to mix.
8. Tip in the custard mixture over the bread and lightly mix to coat all of the bread cubes. Then transfer to the prepared pan. Gently press down on the bread to help it absorb the custard.
9. Cover the pan tightly with sprayed foil.
10. Put 1/2 cups of water into the inner liner of the pressure cooker.
11. With a sling, or the handles of the rack, carefully lower the pan into the pressure cooker's pot. It will need to sit on the rack, not directly on the bottom of the pot.
12. Set the lid on the pot and set the Steam Release Knob to Sealing (not on Ultra).
13. Press the Manual (or Pressure Cook) Button, or dial on Ultra. Set time to 30 minutes using the + or - button, or dial.
14. When cook cycle ends, let pot naturally release pressure for 15 minutes. Then manually release the remaining pressure by turning the knob to Venting (or push the button on the Ultra).
15. When the pin in the lid drops, it is safe to open the lid. Open and carefully remove the pan, using sling or the rack's handles. Careful!
16. Leave it to sit covered for a few minutes and prepare the sauce.
17. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and sugar together over a medium flame.
18. Beat in the cream, rum, and vanilla.
19. Leave it to mixture come to a low boil, while stirring often, then reduce the mixture to a low simmer and let cook for 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring often.
20. Take off heat and transfer to a small pitcher for serving.
21. Plate Bread Pudding with sauce or without.

More instant pot ideas are in the instant pot collection.