Reason #457 why I love this warm weather, sunny spring that leads into summertime:  the ponytail.

It’s bouncy, it’s festive, it helps me look like I’m having a good time even when I’m just standing in line at the grocery store, and it makes me feel like a cheerleader… which is strangely satisfying.

The ponytail is simple and uncomplicated.  I think I’m going to make the ponytail, and the fun simplicity it represents, the theme for the lovely summer we’re working towards.

I think that summer fruit is so fun and just bursting with bright flavors.   Most need very little fuss when it comes to preparation.  Why complicate something that’s already lovely?

This Peach Brulee is just three ingredients and it’s a gorgeous way to start the day.  Make it for breakfast and top the warm peaches with thick Greek yogurt, or make enough peach halves to serve after a big dinner with friends and family.  For one or for many, this simple peach recipe shows off the best of what’s in store for us this summer.  Go forth and broil…. and please sport a ponytail this summer.  It’s rad.

Peach Brulee

for one serving, but can easily be increased according to your needs

adapted from Good Food on kcrw

Print this recipe!

1 peach, cut in half with pit removed

2 spoonfuls brown sugar

2 spoonfuls sour cream, creme fraiche, yogurt or whipped cream

Turn on the oven’s broiler.  Cut peach in half, remove pit and place in a broiler safe pan, cut side up.  Sprinkle brown sugar over the tops of he peaches.  Place in the broiler, very close to the flame.  Stand by the oven, you don’t have time to check the mail.  Check the peaches every minute, the sugar will brown in about 2 minutes, if not sooner.

Remove from the oven once the sugar has become brown and toasted.  Let cool for one minute.  Carefully place peach halves on a plate and dollop the center of the peach with a touch of sour cream or creme fraiche or yogurt.  Serve immediately.

Bread pudding exists in the sweet space between breakfast and dessert.  With all of the milk in the recipe, bread pudding feels like eating the most ridiculously rich breakfast cereal.  I suppose for most people, it’s a bonafide dessert.  Perhaps I’m just trying to find as many ways as possible to eat dessert for breakfast.

I’ll admit, I only recently warmed up to bread pudding.  My Dad absolutely loves the stuff, so I was inspired to create my own.  I think I had this conception that bread pudding was simply soggy bread mixed with cinnamon, milk and raisins.  Not so!  This dish can be made with as many combinations as you can dream up.  With this recipe, I wrestled my preconceived notions of bread pudding to the ground.  I decided to combine bread pudding and cobbler.  I know… pretty awesome!   Now we’re getting into the realm of respectable breakfasts… or desserts.

Blackberry Peach Bread Pudding combines the delicious fruit I love in cobblers, with loads of the bready goodness that I crave everyday of my life.  Throw in some Grand Marnier and toasted pecans, and it’s pure heaven!

This is a great dessert because you can very easily throw it together in a pan, wrap it up and let it sit in the fridge over night to soak.  The next morning, pop the whole tray in the oven, and delicious cobbler bread pudding is ready to eat (after proper cooling time) in about two hours.

Blackberry Peach Bread Pudding with Toasted Pecans

Print this recipe!

1 1/2 – 2 loaves stale French baguettes

3 eggs

3 cups whole milk

1 cup half and half

1/3 cup butter

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier

2 cups sliced peaches, fresh or frozen

1 cup blackberries, fresh

3/4 cup pecan halves

dash of cinnamon

Begin by tearing the stale french bread into bite sized pieces.  This can be done by hand, because pieces do not have to look perfect, just need to be roughly the same size.  Place all of the bread pieces into a 9×13-inch baking pan and top with peaches and berries.  Using your hands, toss the fruit into the bread pieces so they are evenly distributed through the pan.  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat butter and 3 cups milk.  Heat just until butter melts, but milk should not boil.

While milk and butter are heating, whisk together eggs, half and half, sugar, vanilla extract and Grand Marnier.  Slowly whisk the warmed milk and butter mixture into the eggs and half and half mixture.  Pour the entire mixture on top of the bread pieces and fruit.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Remove the plastic wrap from the bread pudding, sprinkle with cinnamon  and place in the oven for 45-55 minutes.  The bread pudding will still wiggle when shaken, but will set during the cooling process.   Let set for at least 30 minutes, once removed from the oven.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

I love this served warm with vanilla ice cream!

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