A trip back in time… Gold Rush Country | Croissant Bread Pudding

This Croissant Bread Pudding is just one of many delicious treats you will find at the McCaffrey House Bed & Breakfast Inn in Twain Harte, California – in the heart of Gold Rush Country!

My family and I are back from our little summer vacation and have returned to the reality of homelife: laundry, dirty dishes and other fun chores. This year we took a one-week road trip and attended a beautiful wedding for my cousin, camped in the breath-taking Yosemite Park, and stayed in a bed and breakfast in Twain Harte, about two hours from the heart of Yosemite Valley. My husband had been making business trips to this area for the past year, and as his work here was ending, he wanted to share with the us everything he experienced while staying in the Sonora area.

We stayed in a lovely bed and breakfast, McCaffrey House Bed & Breakfast Inn. Unlike many other B&B;, The McCaffrey House was built to be a B&B; and each room has it’s own private bathroom. This is a big plus when traveling with kids! This was our first time staying in a B&B.; Usually, my family is excited to stay in those hotel rooms that offer a microwave and fridge and provide a free continental breakfast in the morning. So, having a homemade breakfast was a real treat for us, well specifically for ME! Nobody cooks me breakfast! You are also surrounded by the pristine forest, that is begging to be explored by little adventurers, accompanied by Finnegan, the McCaffrey House’s friendly Golden Retriever (or “Figgan” renamed by my 4-year old Princess).

If it hadn’t been for my husband’s business travels, we may never have discovered this area of California. This was Gold Country and the region is full of Gold Rush History. We visited the old West town of Columbia where you can see what life was like during the Gold Rush days. From candle dipping, to museums, stagecoach rides and panning for cold, the whole family was easily entertained. We spent two hours panning for gold, only to discover that we found a lot of Pyrite – fool’s gold. But, it didn’t detract from our experience and the kids had a great time.

We ended the day with a trip to Pinecrest Lake, where we rowed a borrowed raft around the beautiful lake. We dared each kid to jump into the cold water (only two actually did it) and we collected sticks, hiked and counted squirrels. The evening ended with a movie under the stars, “How to Train Your Dragon,” which was another treat for the kids. The smell of nearby campfires hovered over us as we curled up under our blankets and laughed through the movie in the great outdoors.

We did a lot on our 9-day road trip and this was a just small bit I wanted to share with you. I admit that I didn’t think a trip to Sonora would match our scenic camping trip to Yosemite. I’m delighted that I was wrong. My family and I had a great time learning a little about California’s golden history.

Pictured is one breakfast prepared by Stephanie, owner of The McCaffrey House: Bread Pudding. She told us it was one of her grandchildren’s favorite treats. I hope you enjoy it, too!

Croissant Bread Pudding

This Croissant Bread Pudding is just one of many delicious treats you will find at the McCaffrey House Bed & Breakfast Inn in Twain Harte, California - in the heart of Gold Rush Country!

Ingredients:

• 2 TBS maple syrup
• 1 cup brown sugar, light, packed
• 6 TBS butter, unsalted
• 8 croissants, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 8 eggs, large
• 2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan combine over medium heat:
• 2 TBS maple syrup
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 6 TBS butter, unsalted
2. Stir until butter has melted and mixture is bubbly.
3. Pour syrup mixture into a 9" x 12" baking pan.
4. Spread evenly over syrup mixture:
• 8 croissants , cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup raisins
5. In a medium-sized bowl or blender, whisk together:
• 8 eggs, large
• 2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
6. Pour egg mixture over the bread & raisins.
7. Cover the pan and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
8. Remove pan from refrigerator 15 mins. prior to baking.
9. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
10. Discard cover and bake for about 45-60 minutes.
11. To serve, loosen edges of bread from pan sides with a knife blade or thin spatula.
12. Invert pan onto cutting board, so that the caramelized portion of the bread pudding is on top.
13. Cut into 8-12 pieces and serve.

Source:

Recipe adapted from The McCaffrey House Bed & Breakfast Inn

Prep Time: 8 hours

Yield: 9x12 pan

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 9 hours

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