real bread pudding

I've made a couple of bread puddings for the blog in the past (apple cinnamon and pumpkin) but they've both bean a "lighter" version... more of a breakfast item than a decadent dessert like they serve it here in the south. Well, earlier today I went to a friend's house for brunch and had decided that I was going to bring some bread pudding. Since I was bringing the bread pudding somewhere AWAY from home, it wasn't going to sit around in my kitchen taunting me. I knew it was safe to make the full blown, thick, rich, full-fat custard bread pudding ... WITH RUM SAUCE!

So, if you ever have an opportunity to make a dessert that you will not be in danger of accidentally eating all yourself, make this one. You wont be disappointed, neither will your friends.

Let me apologize ahead of time for the pictures. I made the bread pudding early this morning before there was decent light and I couldn't cut into it to plate it for photos. Hopefully you'll get the idea.

Oh, also "real" bread pudding has raisins and pecans. I forgot to buy both so I just had to use the walnuts I had on hand. Oops. The cost break down is for what I actually used.





Total Recipe cost: $5.95
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Cost per serving: $0.74
Prep time: 30 min. Cook time: 1 hr. Total: 1 hr, 30 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 lg. loaf	french bread	$1.50
3 lg.	eggs	$0.53
1.25 cups	cream	$0.61
1 cup	milk	$0.37
1/2 cup	brown sugar	$0.16
1/2 cup	white sugar	$0.009
1 tsp	vanilla	$0.28
1/2 tsp	cinnamon	$0.03
1/2 tsp	nutmeg	$0.03
1/2 cup	walnuts	$0.84
RUM SAUCE		COST
4 Tbsp	butter	$0.14
1/4 cup	cream	$0.12
1/4 cup	white sugar	$0.05
1/4 cup	dark rum	$1.20
TOTAL		$5.95

STEP 1: Cut/tear the bread into one inch cubes. Spread them out on a baking sheet and place in a 300 degree oven until dry (about 15 minutes). Mix them around about half way through.

STEP 2: While the bread is drying out, mix together the custard. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk very well. Roughly chop the walnuts.

STEP 3: Coat a glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Place the dry bread cubes in the dish and sprinkle the walnuts over top. Slowly pour in the custard mix, trying to get some on all of the bread. Give it a gentle stir, cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the liquid.

STEP 4: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Take the bread pudding out of the refrigerator, give it a gentle stir and then place in the hot oven. Bake for 60 minutes.

STEP 5: Near the end of the baking time, prepare the rum sauce. Place all of the ingredients (butter, sugar, cream and rum) in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium heat while stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved and the butter has melted completely. When the bread pudding comes out of the oven, drizzle the rum sauce over top. The butter will separate out of the sauce as it sits so stir just prior to drizzling over top.

Step By Step Photos

Use one of those mammoth french bread loafs that are sold in the bakery section of the grocery store. Cut/tear it up into small cubes. Bake them in the oven until they are mostly dried out.


While the bread is drying out, make the custard. Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg.


Roughly chop the nuts.


Place the dried out bread cubes in a glass baking dish coated with non-stick spray. Sprinkle the nuts over top then slowly pour in the custard, making sure to get some on all of the bread cubes. Give it a gentle stir to let some of the drier cubes get on bottom with all of the custard liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least a half hour to let the bread soak up the liquid.


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and bake the bread pudding for 60 minutes.


Toward the end of the baking time, start making the rum sauce. Place the butter, cream and sugar in a small sauce pan and cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted. I originally made twice the amount that is listed above but had a TON left over so I reduced the amounts for the post.


Now it's time for the good stuff. You can actually make the sauce with whiskey OR rum. I decided the whiskey was best saved for drinking. Rum sauce it is!! Simply stir the rum into the other sauce ingredients.


This is what it looks like in the end. The butter will separate out so give it a good stir before pouring on the bread pudding.


Pour the rum sauce over top. YUM.

Serve warm (or cold if you have to). Ice cream is always nice on top too :D