Pondicherry Bread Pudding or Pondicherry’s Baguettes in Coconut Milk Basundi is a delicious Indo French Dessert popular in the Pondicherry that may not feature in other places. In fact, it was by luck I came across this dish. The inspiration for this cuisine struck me when Priya Suresh did this theme with Indo French Cuisine. So I should ask her if this dessert meets the standard!

While Pondicherry is famous for the cakes and nonveg dishes, it was a pleasant surprise to read about this interesting dessert. This bread pudding has a twist and the influence of French cuisine on the Indian cuisine created during the French rule of the place.

Usage of coconut is quite common in Pondicherry cuisine and it has found its way in this delicious dessert. I read about this dessert from the reviews that were done on Taj’s Pondicherry cuisine festival. On further research, I came to this here, here and finally a recipe too, that had the recipe for making from scratch both the baguettes and the basundi. Though I had planned on baking the baguettes, in the end resorted to readymade baguettes and even had a shortcut basundi done with Coconut Milk and condensed milk.

Since I have never tasted this, I don’t know how it should taste, however from what I have read, I made sure I followed it. Finally, when we tasted the dessert, I knew it was really superb. While making everything yourself is really good, making a quick dessert like this is worth all the trouble on a weekend!

We are starting the final week of Feb BM#85, with an interesting theme on Adapted Cuisines across the globe. I wanted to focus on different cuisines that are not so well known, like the Indo Chinese. So for the day 1, I have this Indo French Dessert, we enjoyed it and I know everyone will when they make it. The dessert is made even simpler with my quick adaptation done further!

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Step by Step Pictures for Toasting the Baguettes

Making the Coconut Milk Basundi

Assembling the Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding ~ Pondicherry’s Baguettes in Coconut Milk Basundi

Ingredients Needed

For the Bread
2 Baguette small bread
2 tbsp Ghee

For Coconut Milk Basundi
1/2 cup Condensed Milk
2 cups Coconut Milk thick, first extract
A pinch Cardamom Powder
Handful Mixed Nuts finely chopped

For Sugar Syrup
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Water

Making the Coconut Milk Basundi
Refer how to make thick coconut milk from this post. Reserve the first extract and you can use the second milk for gravies.
In a bowl, add the condensed milk, thick coconut milk, combine everything well and refrigerate until serving.

Making the Sugar Syrup

Dissolve the sugar in water over a high flame, remove impurities if any.
Then simmer and continue making the syrup till it becomes 1 thread consistency.
Switch off and keep it ready. This can be done just before assembling.
Or if you are doing it ahead, just cook the syrup and warm it while serving. Also, make sure you don’t cook it for long that you will end up with sugar crystallization.

Toasting the Bread

When you are ready to serve the dessert, slice the bread into 1/2 inch slices, heat a nonstick pan with ghee and toast it crisp on both sides.

Assembling the Dessert

When the bread is toasted crisp, dunk the slices into the warm sugar syrup.
Make sure the baguette is soaked well in sugar syrup.
Pour the chilled coconut Basundi into serving bowls.
Then remove the bread using a spoon and drop into the chilled basundi bowls.
Garnish with chopped mixed nuts.
Serve right away as the bread soaks very fast.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM

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