Best Goat Milk Bread Pudding with Mapled Rhubarb (or For Mama)

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Sunday is Mother’s Day.

The day we set aside to honor the good mamas of the world.

A simple “thanks” however seems hardly enough.

Especially for the extra special ones.

Like mine.

Now, I know that a lot of girls think this about the first, major female figure they laid their newborn eyes on but in Mama Lazarakis’s case, it’s extra true.

mama lazarakis

Mama Lazarakis has been — through no fault of her own — a slipper-throwing mom, who has also always been a profoundly creative and talented mom.

She apprenticed under the woman who made the clothes for the Court of the Queen of Greece.

She scrimped and saved and then left for America by herself to pursue her dream of becoming an apparel designer.

And working during the days and going to school at nights, that’s exactly what she became.

And married my father and raised a family too.

family lazarakis

Yet, even with all that creativity and talent, she always put us first.

Sewed up the holes in my jeans as soon as they started to appear.

Packed prunes instead of Twinkies in my brother and I’s bag lunches.

Stayed up late — for all three years of acting conservatory — to help me learn my lines.

Greek danced at Christopher and I’s wedding.  (And taught my friends too).

mama lazarakis 2

All the while showing me — along with my dad — that family, love and magic were indeed, very, very real because they lived in every meal.

And teaching me how to be a μπουμπουλίνα — a brave woman — because she’s the bravest one I know.

And I can only truly thank her with my heart and with love, which is really, so very little.

For this Mama Lazarakis whose first name is Βασιλική, which in Greek stands for Royal.

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Best Goat Milk Bread Pudding with Mapled Rhubarb

Inspired by Knives Cooks Love and Cooking Light

The greatest moms deserve only the very best.  This bread pudding is nothing but.  All goat milk goodness, it’s all at once subtle and deliciously divine.  With hints of ginger and cardamom — not too sweet but just right — paired along side with tart maple-y rhubarb, you’re toasting Mama right.

Serves 4 – 6

For Mapled Rhubarb

Just under half a pound fresh rhubarb, chopped (the more red, the better)
3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup organic maple syrup
2 tablespoons maple sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 pinches ground nutmeg
2 pinches ground cloves
pinch of sea salt

For Bread Pudding

6 – 7 slices (6 ounces) two day-old sourdough wheat bread
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
2 cups goat milk
1/3 cup turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
pinch sea salt
3 tablespoons crystalized ginger chips
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons raw pecans, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 9 x 9 inch non-stick baking pan well with unsalted butter, making sure to get into all the corners.  Set aside.

Boil enough water to fill a roasting tray half full, and lower heat to a simmer while you prepare mapled rhubarb.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine rhubarb, water, maple syrup, maple sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.  Bring mixture to boil.  Reduce heat to low — stirring often — and allow mixture to simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until rhubarb has completely softened and resembles thick, smooth applesauce.

Remove from heat, allow to cool completely and then place covered in refrigerator while you prepare bread pudding.

Spread one side of each bread slice with butter.

Using a serrated knife, cut buttered bread slices into 1-inch cubes.  You should have 6 cups.  Set aside.

Note:  Feel free to discard (or snack on) any left-over bread cubes.

In a large mixing bowl — using a wire whisk — combine eggs, goat milk, turbinado sugar, vanilla extract, ground cardamom, and sea salt until well combined.  Add cubed bread and crystallized ginger chips to mixture and fold gently until well combined.

Pour mixture into prepared, well-greased baking pan and spread evenly.  Let mixture stand for about 5 – 10 minutes, gently pushing down on bread cubes with spatula, to make sure batter is being soaked up well by all the bread.

Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly over top, followed by turbinado sugar.

Place roasting tray on middle rack of preheated oven, line bottom with a kitchen towel, and very quickly and very carefully fill quarter-full with boiling water.

Carefully set baking pan with bread pudding into the water bath you just created in the roasting tray and fill — if needed — with more boiling water until water reaches halfway up side of baking pan.

Bake bread pudding for 40 – 45 minutes or until top of pudding is puffy and golden brown and knife inserted into center comes out hot.

Note:  If bread pudding is not browning, feel free to turn oven to “Broil” for the last 5 minutes of baking time.  Just be sure to watch pudding carefully so it doesn’t burn!

When bread pudding is ready — using tongs and a heavy-duty kitchen towel — very carefully transfer baking pan to a cooling rack and allow pudding to cool until warm to touch.

Using a large serving spoon, spoon bread pudding into small serving bowls and serve immediately with a dollop of cold mapled rhubarb on the side.

Share and enjoy!

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37 thoughts on “Best Goat Milk Bread Pudding with Mapled Rhubarb (or For Mama)”

  1. Lovely writing, gorgeous photos and great-looking recipe, as usual 🙂 I loved all those little details about your mom–what a great dedication post! I didn’t know you went to acting conservatory–so interesting! Are you doing anything with acting now?

    You can bet as soon as some goat’s milk comes my way, I’ll be making this! ❤

    Reply

    • Thanks so much, Erika, I so appreciate that.

      And yes, indeed, I did go to acting conservatory =) Not doing anything with acting now, but stay open to it. I now act only when I want to be part of telling a story I want to tell. It honors the artist in me and doing so finds me a whole lot happier =)

      And yes, please do! I think you’ll totally love it =)

      ❤

      Reply

  2. I truly cherish brave ladies like mama Lazarakis! Deeply in my heart I wish I was like her!
    That dish looks fantastic!! I am no cake fan but such things are awesome! Thanks for the recipe and for your lovely photos & I wish you a very nice weekend!

    Reply

    • I think you are a lot more like her than you think, Irena! You are amazingly talented and creative, and it’s very brave to share that (and yourself) with the world =)

      Thanks so much for the kind words; I’m so glad! And my pleasure, always =)

      Have a very nice weekend too, Irena; thanks so much for stopping by!

      xo

      Reply

    • Thanks so much, Brandi, on all accounts =) And I am so glad you enjoyed it!

      I feel very blessed to have her in my life; it really was the least I could do =)

      Hope all is well, lovely; thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful week ahead!

      xo

      Reply

      • Claudia,

        Of course it is okay with me; thank you SO much for featuring Small Kitchen Chronicles on Food with a View! I am honored and touched and so glad my recipe was such an inspiration. It really is such a treat to hear =)

        Thank you again, Claudia, and look forward to your future posts; your blog is wonderful. Love the filo tartes; so creative and delicious looking!

        Warmest wishes and please stop by again anytime; you are always welcome here =)

        Christina

  10. Pingback: Filo Goat’s Cheese Tartes with Rhubarb, Strawberries, Green Asparagus & Medlars | Food with a View

  11. That is such a lovely way to honor your Mom Christina. She’s a brave woman to travel to America by herself to pursue her dream.
    Your bread pudding looks absolutely wonderful and I hope all is well with you. xoxo

    Reply

    • Thanks so much, Anne. She really is such an inspiration; it really was the least I could do for a woman who has done and meant so much, you know?

      And thank you re: the bread pudding. I think even for those who aren’t fans of bread pudding would really love this one =)

      Hope all is wonderfully well with you, Anne; have a lovely weekend and always such a special treat to have you stop by =)

      Big hugs,

      Christina

      Reply

  13. Christina, this is such a gorgeous post. You write incredibly well, I think your mother would feel honoured if she read this (does she read your blog? My mum reads mine, haha… she was my sole commenter when I started. So sweet!).
    Thanks for sharing some of your life snapshots with us. You’re an inspiration to me; both you and your mother are elegant, beautiful, strong and talented women. Did your mother create her own fashion label? I’m curious as to whether I’ve ever seen any of her designs over here (I’d love to be able to see some of your stage/screen work also!).
    You’ve created a beautiful tribute and a delicious-looking recipe to accompany it! I need to get some goats milk so I can try this for myself 🙂 Thanks for sharing a piece of your heat with us xx

    Reply

    • Aww, Laura, you made my day, thank you! I do my very best =) My mom does read my blog from time to time; when she can. She’s one of the few moms, I think, that does not have a computer (she’s kind of old school like that 😉 But, she has printed out a few of my posts and has them to read whenever she wants =)

      And my pleasure, dear one. I am touched by your words. You are an inspiration to me by your inner beauty, generosity of spirit, and genuineness, Laura. It is so evident, even off of a computer screen =)

      To answer your question, my mother has her own private label and private clientele, so you would not have seen any of her designs over there (BTW, is over there in Australia? Please forgive me for not knowing!) As for me, alas, I’ve done mostly stage work and the only bit of screen work that I think you would be able to get a hold of is a documentary film called Casting About. I am featured in a very brief, non-speaking scene where I do a dance with a feather in each hand =)

      Thanks so much again, Laura, and I do hope you try the recipe! Thank you so much for sharing wonderful you too, Laura; you are a true, rare beauty xo!

      Reply

      • You are way too kind lovely! And yes, over ‘here’ is Australia (the west side, filled with miners, sheep and grape vines. Oh, and a few people!). I’ll have a look for your feather scene in Casting About! Hm, if I can’t find it I’ll just need to hop on a plane and see you on stage some time 🙂
        I really appreciate your encouragement Christina. It’s weird sometimes, typing words into cyberspace. I’m glad that you know I completely mean everything I’ve said! And yes, I’ll be trying your beautiful recipe very soon (it’s wintry weather here so it’s perfect for bread pudding!) xo

      • Aww, that’s so nice, Laura! If you ever make it out here, please let me know; it would be great to meet you, fellow food sister =)

        And you’re so welcome, the encouragement is much deserved. And I totally get the typing words into cyberspace thing, it is weird sometimes!

        Have a wonderful Thursday, lovely, talk soon!

        xo

    • Thanks so much, CK; I am so glad to hear. Welcome to SKC! BTW, love the name of your blog — genius, really.

      And I am with you, sister. I am all about the sharing as well; I only ask however, that if you do decide to use or adapt a recipe of mine and share it on your blog, please do cite Small Kitchen Chronicles with a direct link to the original content — I do work so hard on these recipes, lovely, and in the foodie blogging-sphere, it’s just the right thing to do =)

      Thank you!

      xo

      Reply

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