Cajun Mardi Gras Desserts

With Mardi Gras in full swing in Cajun country, I have been making my family's favorite Mardi Gras desserts. Namely, a traditional King Cake, with cream cheese filling,  and a newer, easier version of Mini King Cakes. And it wouldn't be Mardi Gras without my French Vanilla Bread Pudding w/ Praline Rum Sauce and a batch of my Chocolate Praline Brownies. All sinfully delicious and perfect for your Mardi Gras celebration. Cest bon, cher! Enjoy!

Traditional King Cake (click here for recipe)

 French Vanilla Bread Pudding w/ Praline- Rum Sauce

12 slices of French bread, torn into pieces
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1 pkg. French vanilla instant pudding mix

Place bread pieces in a 2 1/2 quart buttered casserole dish. In large bowl , mix sugar, cinnamon, eggs, milk, and pudding mix, with wire whisk, until well blended. Stir in pecans. Pour over bread pieces and blend until evenly coated. Place casserole dish in a larger baking pan, filled with one inch of water. Bake in a 350 degree oven, for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown. 
 

Praline-Rum Sauce

3/4 cup light brown sugar
4 tbs.'s butter
1 small can evaporated milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tbs.'s dark rum or
2 tsp.'s rum extract


Melt butter in saucepan, and then add brown sugar, milk, and pecans. Bring to a boil and lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in rum, or rum extract. Serve warm over bread pudding.

 Easy Mini King Cakes

 

1 loaf refrigerated French bread dough

3 tbs.'s butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbs. cinnamon

1 cup powdered sugar

4 to 5 tsp.'s milk

1/2 tsp. each,  vanilla and almond extracts

colored sugar - yellow, purple, green

Unroll french bread dough into a large rectangle, about 12x16 inches and brush the dough lightly with softened butter. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over butter. Cut the dough in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into strips about 1 1/4 inches wide.  Twist two stips together and tie each strip loosely into a knot, and place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart. 

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes and allow to cool slightly.

In medium bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk, and extracts to make icing. Dip each mini cake into icing and then sprinkle with colored sugar. Fab!

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Chocolate-Praline Brownies (click here for recipe)

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 I'll be sharing these at ~

These Chicks Cooked @ This Chick Cooks

Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage 

Potpourri Friday @ 2805

Wishing you all a fun and fabulous Mardi Gras! Merci beaucoup for stopping by!