One of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever had, this creme brulee bread pudding is fluffy and light and has a surprise bruleed brown sugar bottom. Absolutely delicious, and needs just a handful of ingredients. Easy baking at it’s best!
What makes this creme brulee bread pudding so good?
It’s the perfect use for any leftover bread, like the leftover dough from this brioche recipe. The homemade brioche recipe makes a full loaf and a smaller loaf. I baked up the smaller loaf and decided to make a bread pudding with it.
Brioche and bread pudding are a match made in HEAVEN. Brioche is super fluffy, soaks the milk mixture so well and is lightly sweet in its own right.
It’s nice that the top of the bread pudding isn’t cloyingly sweet, but you get a bottom layer of saucy brown sugar that adds all the richness you need.
You can this for breakfast, or for dessert. Or for anything in between if you ask me!
And it’s easy! Just a handful of common ingredients get transformed into something really special.
This honestly tastes like a restaurant worthy dessert to me! Reminds me of one of my favorite desserts from this bistro we used to go to in my uni days,
Try a caramel sauce would be with this, and I bet it’s even more decadent. Here’s a recipe for my favorite!
What type of bread to use in bread pudding?
Brioche is clearly my winning choice, but so many types of bread would work beautifully in this.
Anything thick and spongey that will soak up the milk custard will work well. I know challah would be great in this, and even french bread would be good. Some people tried this with stale croissants and loved it!
The different parts of this bread pudding:
Bottom brown sugar layer: We have the bottom layer, made with brown sugar (light or dark), maple syrup (can sub corn syrup or honey), and butter. These are all melted together to make a sauce.
This sauce coats the bottom of the baking dish, and the bread is added to it so the bottom of the bread brulees a little and caramelizes in the brown sugar.
The bread: as discussed above
The custard: Made with milk, you don’t need heavy cream, this is rich enough, butter, vanilla, a little sugar, eggs, and a pinch of salt.
How to make the bread pudding:
First, we make the brown sugar brulee base, by melting the butter in a saucepan and adding the brown sugar and maple syrup until dissolved. Pour this on the base of an 8×8 inch square baking dish.
Then, we cut or tear the brioche into chunks, and scatter the bread over the brown sugar base.
Finally, we make the milk soak. Gently heat the milk, butter, sugar, and vanilla until butter melts. Off the stove, whisk in the eggs.
Pour the milk evenly onto the bread and let it soak for an hour or two. You can skip this step if you are in a rush, but some soaking time will really help infiltrate the bread with the custard.
How to serve bread pudding:
We had it just as it is, warm out the oven, and sprinkled with confectioners sugar. You can have this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream which would be AMAZING, drizzled with caramel sauce, or with some fresh whipped cream and berries on top. You basically can’t go wrong!
Storing leftover Creme Brulee Bread Pudding:
Leftovers will last 2-3 days in the fridge, and reheat beautifully in a warm oven or in the microwave. You can also freeze (in individual portions would be great) for up to 3 months.
Creme Brulee Bread Pudding
Ingredients
For the brown sugar brulee bottom
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/4 cup butter 56g, 1/2 stick
For the bread pudding:
- 1 small brioche loaf (380g or around 1 lb) See notes for link to homemade brioche recipe
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoon white sugar
- pinch of salt
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten room temperature
- flaked almonds and icing sugar for garnish, optional
Instructions
For the brulee bottom:
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add in the brown sugar and maple syrup. Stir until combined and sugar has dissolved.
- Pour this butter sugar mixture onto the bottom of an 8×8 inch square baking dish.
For the bread pudding:
- Cut the bread into large 2 inch cubes. Scatter over the brown sugar in the bakind dish.
- In a saucepan, warm the milk, the 2 tablespoon of butter, vanilla, white sugar and pinch of salt just until the butter melts. Don't heat too much so eggs don't curdle. Remove from stove, add the eggs and whisk to combine.
- Pour this milk mixture evenly onto the bread cubes, and leave to soak for an hour or so. Near the end of the soaking time, heat the oven to 180C (350F). Scatter the flaked almonds on top if using.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. Remove from the oven, dust icing sugar on top and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Creme Brûlée Bread Pudding by everylittlecrumb on Jumprope.
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