Jill Wendholt Silva: In the name of portion control

DO YOUR EYES deceive you?

A ramekin - an individual, ovenproof serving cup made of porcelain or ceramic - is a simple way to keep portion sizes in check.

Shopping tip: Bread slices can come in a wide variety of sizes. The bread slices used for this recipe measured about 5 1/4 inches wide, 4 1/4 inches high. But you can probably skip the ruler if you eyeball this one!

Serving tip: For a quick breakfast, refrigerate baked bread pudding overnight. When ready to serve, microwave on high power 45 to 60 seconds or until warm. Spoon about 2 tablespoons vanilla- or apple-flavored nonfat yogurt over the bread pudding instead of the vanilla cream sauce.

INDIVIDUAL APPLE BREAD PUDDING WITH VANILLA CREAM SAUCE

4 slices whole-wheat bread toasted and cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes (about 2 1/4 cups)

1/2 cup raisins

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 1/2 cups skim milk

1/2 cup fat-free half and half

3/4 cup egg substitute

2 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

Vanilla cream sauce:

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3/4 cup skim milk

2 tablespoons egg substitute

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 6 (8-ounce) ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine toasted bread cubes, raisins and apple; spoon mixture into prepared ramekins.

Combine milk, half and half, egg substitute, egg whites, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined. Spoon evenly over toast cube mixture in each ramekin. Allow to stand 10 minutes.

Place filled ramekins in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Fill larger pan about half full of hot water. Bake 60 minutes or until knife inserted in the center of a ramekin comes out clean. Remove from oven and carefully lift ramekins out of water bath.

To prepare vanilla cream sauce: Combine sugar and flour in a small saucepan and stir until completely blended. Blend in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.

Stir about 2 tablespoons hot milk mixture into egg substitute. Stir egg substitute mixture back into milk mixture in saucepan. Heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Just before serving, spoon about 2 tablespoons warm sauce over each warm individual bread pudding. Makes 6 ramekins.

Per serving: 258 calories (4 percent from fat), 1 gram total fat (trace saturated), 2 milligrams cholesterol, 53 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams protein, 238 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

Recipe developed by professional home economists Kathryn Moore and Roxanne Wyss.

Jill Wendholt Silva is an award-winning food journalist and editor for the Kansas City Star. She is the author of the cookbook "Eating for Life" ($24.95, Kansas City Star Co.), featuring 100 recipes from her weekly column. Contact her at

jsilva@kcstar.com.