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Chef Troy Gagliardo

"Chef Troy" Gagliardo hosts a weekly cooking segment called "Tuesdays with Troy" live every Tuesday on Fox News Rising from 7 to 9 am. He has made over 200 appearances on the show showcasing over 600 of his unique original recipes was voted one of the Top Five best chefs in Charlotte in 2013. Troy has penned a cookbook called Seasonal Comfort featuring some of his favorite comfort food recipes, and his business Motown Spice Provisions has supplied restaurants and country clubs in the greater Charlotte area for the past 10 years. He enjoys teaching readers and viewers alike how to build their "cooking confidence" through his recipes and simple technique. He is a self-taught chef who learned early on the important of family and food, and the connection between both, from his parents and grandparents. Contact him at cheftroy@windstream.net.

Pomegranate Blueberry Goat Cheese Bread Pudding

• 1 each-French bread-cut 9 to 10 cups-cut into bite size pieces
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 pint blueberries
• 5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Custard

• 4 each-eggs, large
• 1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate, molasses or concentrate
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 4 cups heavy cream

Sauce: (optional)

• 3/4 stick unsalted butter, 6 tablespoons
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons pomegranate, molasses or concentrate

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees with rack in center of oven.

2. Lightly butter or spray a 9 x 13 baking dish and place it into a roasting pan that is larger than baking dish.

3. In a sauce pan, heat heavy cream to warm through over low heat.

4. In a mixing bowl combine eggs, sugar, almond extract, orange zest, pomegranate and melted butter until well incorporated.

5. Slowly, while stirring add warm cream a little at a time until all has been incorporated.

6. Place bread cubes in baking dish, scatter pecans, blueberries and goat cheese over top.

7. Pour custard over bread cubes and gently press bread into custard to help soak up custard.

8. Let stand for at least 30 minutes.

9. With baking dish in roasting pan, carefully pour in hot water until half way up the sides of baking dish.

10. Place in oven and bake for one hour.

11. While pudding is baking, melt butter over medium high heat.

12. Add sugar, pomegranate molasses, whisk to combine and cook until slightly thicken.

13. Lower heat to lowest setting and keep warm.

14. To check for doneness, press gently on pudding.

15. If custard rising to top let it bake a little longer until all of the custard is set.

16. Remove from oven and from water bath.

17. Let cool slightly before serving and serve with warm pomegranate sauce drizzled over top.

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