New Orleans Style Bread Pudding
Creamy, comforting, and dripping with warm bourbon sauce, this New Orleans Style Bread Pudding is a cozy finale for any meal.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch Baking Dish
- Mixing Bowl
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Bread Pudding Ingredients
- 10 oz stale French bread, crumbled or 6–8 cups of any crumbled bread; reduce milk to 3 cups if using fresh bread
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins optional but traditional
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans toasted if desired
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 cups milk or 3 cups if using fresh bread
Joe's Whiskey Sauce Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted for smoothness
- 2 large egg yolks, tempered see directions
- 1/2 cup bourbon or use less for milder flavor
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place the oven rack in the lower third so the top browns evenly without burning.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the crumbled bread, granulated sugar, melted butter, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, raisins, shredded coconut, chopped pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, and milk. Stir thoroughly until all bread is fully soaked and the mixture is cohesive — press a piece of bread to ensure it’s saturated. Let sit 5 minutes to absorb extra liquid.
- Pour the soaked bread mixture into the prepared 9x13-inch dish, spreading it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the custard is set in the center and the top is golden brown. A knife inserted in the center should come out mostly clean. If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 15–20 minutes.
- While the pudding bakes, prepare Joe’s Whiskey Sauce. In a saucepan off the heat, cream the 1/2 cup butter with the powdered sugar using a hand mixer until smooth and pale. Warm the saucepan gently on low; whisk a small ladle of the warm butter-sugar mixture into the egg yolks to temper them, then whisk the tempered yolks back into the saucepan. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the bourbon. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Taste and adjust bourbon amount to preference.
- When the pudding is done, remove it from the oven and let it rest 10 minutes. Serve warm slices with a generous drizzle of whiskey sauce. Leftover sauce can be warmed slightly before serving.
Notes
Use stale or day-old bread for best texture; fresh bread can make the pudding too soggy. If you must use fresh bread, cut the milk to 3 cups as noted.