Indian Bread Pudding with Cardamom Sauce

Ingredients

• Pudding:
• 9 (1-ounce) slices white bread
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup evaporated fat-free milk
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon rose-flower water (optional)
• Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped pistachios

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. To prepare pudding, trim crusts from bread. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet; brush with melted butter. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes or until toasted.
3. Remove bread from oven; cool 5 minutes on a wire rack. Cut each slice into 4 squares. Arrange squares in overlapping rows in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
4. Combine evaporated milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, and rose-flower water, if desired, stirring well with a whisk. Pour mixture evenly over bread. Cover with foil; chill 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350°.
6. Bake pudding, covered, at 350° for 15 minutes.
7. To prepare sauce, combine 2 tablespoons sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Heat whole milk in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around the edge (do not boil). Gradually add hot whole milk to egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.
8. Place milk mixture in pan; cook over low heat 6 minutes or until mixture coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; stir in cardamom.
9. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 5 minutes or until sauce cools to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
10. Arrange 6 warm bread pudding squares on each of 6 dessert plates. Top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons sauce and 1/2 teaspoon pistachios.