Bread Pudding

This dish was inspired by pain au chocolat, a chocolate-stuffed croissant that is adored by both children and adults in France. Cranberries have been added-perfect for a Christmas brunch.

Fred Provenzano of Seattle, Washington, writes: "While in Washington, D.C., for a convention, I discovered a delightful restaurant, The Little Fountain Cafe. It was so good that I went back for dinner two more times during my stay. Can you persuade pastry chef Lauren Cooper to divulge her recipe for chocolate chip bread pudding?" The pudding can be assembled up to one day ahead, then popped into the oven just before you sit down for dinner.

Minus the ice cream, this delicate pudding makes a wonderfully indulgent breakfast.

When I eat Bread Pudding Soufflé I always think of the Commander's saying, "If it ain't broke, fix it anyway." Bread pudding was already near perfection, but we combined Creole bread pudding with the light texture of a meringue and ended up with the restaurant's signature dessert, the single most sought-after dish in our family's restaurant history. The whiskey sauce itself is divine but particularly so when generously poured over the piping hot soufflé. Take it from me, this is no light dessert. Make the bread pudding and the sauce in advance, the meringue just before assembling and baking.

From the Rainforest Cafe in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Making bread pudding is a good way to use up day-old bread. Gary Rhodes creates this sensational version of the classic English dessert with cream, milk and egg yolks, so it is ultra-rich.

Rose Ann Pescheff of Watertown, Connecticut, writes: "My husband and I went to a friend's birthday dinner at Carmen Anthony Steakhouse in nearby Waterbury. The entire meal was good, but the bread pudding was outstanding — the perfect finishing touch. Since bread pudding is one of my husband's favorite desserts, I'd like to make it for him at home." The liqueur-flavored sauce turns this rich dessert into something wonderfully decadent.

This bread and butter pudding gets its Italian flavor from panettone, a Milanese egg bread studded with raisins and candied fruit. Long a Christmastime specialty, panettone is becoming increasingly available throughout the year not only in Italy but also in the United States. Note: Panettone can be found in some Italian markets and specialty foods shops.

If mention of "pinto" brings to mind pink beans, think again this time: The following "pinto" bread pudding contains none of those beans beloved of chili fans but is named for the distinctive calico splotches that pattern the West's pinto pony.