By Request Betty Shimabukuro

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Rich pudding just right at a 'solid jiggle'

OVER at the Diamond Head Market and Grill, chef/owner Kelvin Ro serves bread pudding studded with coconut.

"This is one of my personal favorites," Ro says.

Ditto for Meredith Prock, who asked for the recipe. "I'm sitting here in seventh heaven -- eating a piece of Kelvin Ro's Coconut Bread Pudding. It is divine."

It's a spare-no-richness treat, with croissants as its base and a custard of butter, cream and eggs. Shredded coconut is sprinkled in layers throughout the pudding.

As with most bread puddings, it bakes in a water bath, which keeps it moist. If you've never done this before, you'll need to run an equipment check before you start: The pudding goes into a standard 9-by-13-inch pan, but that pan goes inside of a slightly larger pan filled with water. The broiler pan that came with your oven would probably work, or one of those extra-large foil pans left over from the last potluck, or maybe the roasting pan you use for the Thanksgiving turkey.

Bake to a "solid jiggle," as Ro puts it. This means it should be somewhat firm, but still loose enough to move when you shake the pan. He doesn't want you to bake it solid. It takes about 2 hours.

Coconut Bread Pudding

4-1/2 croissants (3-1/2 ounces each)
4 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half (or substitute 1/2 cup whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Cut croissants into 2-inch cubes.

Whisk together eggs and sugar. Add cream, half-and-half and vanilla. Pour in butter while continuing to whisk.

Spread 1/3 of croissants into bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan. Pour 1/3 of egg mixture over croissants. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup coconut. Repeat layers twice. Press down ingredients. Set aside 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Set pan in larger pan filled half-way with water. Bake 2 hours or until you have a solid jiggle.

Can you help? Anyone out there have a tried-and-true recipe for Turkey Corn Scallop? Patti, who's on the hunt for the recipe, says it's not a casserole, but simply turkey and corn in a brown gravy, served over rice. If you have a recipe, send it here and you'll win a cookbook.