Eyes on the Sides — Healthy Holiday Side Dishes
Tired of holiday carb-loading? This season, trade in tradition for lighter, brighter, and more daring side dishes
By Executive Chef Paul Tebbets of Benjamin's Western Avenue Burger Bar
Ingredients
- 16 eggs
- 4 cups half and half
- 2 cups milk
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- ¾ pound cold butter, plus more to coat baking pan
- 1½ loaves of raisin bread, sliced (Tebbets recommends BreadWorks’ raisin bread!)
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup
- Honey
- Cream
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs, half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Heavily coat all sides of a baking pan with butter. Dip each slice of raisin bread into the mixture. Lay the coated slices in the buttered baking pan, overlapping to prevent gaps. Chef’s note: “Be mindful of bread placement to fill the pan fully, leaving just enough space at the top for the praline topping.” Pour the remaining mixture on top.
- To make the praline topping, melt ¾ pound butter in the microwave. Stir in brown sugar, chopped pecans, corn syrup, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread pudding.
- Place baking pan on a baking sheet (to catch any drippings from the pan), and bake at 350ºF for 36 minutes. Chef’s note: Check on the dish every 12 minutes.
- Serve with a drizzle of honey and cream on top.
Benjamin’s Western Avenue Burger Bar, 900 Western Ave., North Side. 412.224.2163.
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