Bread Pudding with a local flair

(serves 6)

By Randy George

3 eggs
3 egg yolks
3/4 cups maple syrup
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 lb.of day old hearty bread (Pain Au Levain works great)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease six 3 in. cupcake tins.

Whisk together eggs and egg yolks. Add maple syrup, cream, milk, and vanilla.

Cut bread into 1 in. cubes. Fill tins with bread.

Pour egg mixture over bread. Push bread down into egg mixture to moisten it. (It will float back up-- this is o.k.)

Place cupcake tins into 2 in. deep pan. Fill pan with 1 1/2 in. of water. Bake for 45 min. or until lightly browned.

Flip out individual servings and pour caramel sauce over inverted pudding.

Caramel Sauce for Bread Pudding

2/3 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
pinch of salt

Warm the syrup over medium heat. Whisk in cream. Reduce this mixture over medium-high heat until it begins to thicken (15-20 min.). Add salt and butter. Keep at low heat until pouring over pudding.

This recipe would also be great with local strawberries added as a topping, when they are in season.