Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Put your leftover bread to work with this dreamy Bread Pudding drizzled with quick and luscious caramel sauce. It's perfect for weekends and holidays with your loved ones.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 489 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Bread Pudding:

  • 1 (1-pound) baguette torn into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup golden raisins (5 ounces)
  • 3/4 cup bourbon divided
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 8 large egg yolks room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons butter cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled

For the Caramel Sauce:

  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

To make the Bread Pudding:

  • Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
  • On a rimmed baking sheet, spread bread pieces out in a single layer. Toast until crisped and browned, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
  • In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add raisins and 1/2 cup of bourbon and bring to a simmer (do not boil). Simmer until raisins have softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Strain the raisins, reserving the liquid.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the reserved raisin liquid, remaining 1/4 cup bourbon, heavy cream, milk, brown sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the toasted bread and toss until evenly coated. Let the mixture sit, tossing occasionally until the bread begins to absorb the custard and is softened, about 30 minutes.
  • Pour half the bread mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with half of the reserved raisins. Pour the remaining bread mixture into the pan, sprinkle with the remaining raisins and cover with foil. Bake covered for 45 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and granulated sugar. Using your fingers, work the butter into the sugar mixture until the size of small peas.
  • Remove foil from the bread pudding and sprinkle with the cinnamon-butter mixture. Rotate the dish and continue to bake, uncovered, until the custard is just set, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees and bake until the top is crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Let the bread pudding cool for 30 minutes.

For the Caramel Sauce:

  • In a saucepan over medium heat, melt brown sugar and butter together. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
  • Whisk in evaporated milk, vanilla, and salt. Pour over bread pudding and serve.

Video

Notes

  1. Dry bread is essential! Don't skip the toasting step, even if you cube the bread a day or two before. Stale bread still has water in it, so drying out the bread in the oven lets the custard work its magic.
  2. Non-alcoholic version. You don't have to make bread pudding with any alcohol, if you don't want to. Make it kid-friendly and cook the raisins in water, then bump up the milk to match the quantity of bourbon the recipe calls for.
  3. Make the caramel sauce ahead: The caramel sauce can be made up to 2 days before you need it, refrigerated and gently warmed on the stove.
  4. Assemble the bread pudding ahead: Cover it with foil, and store it in the refrigerator unbaked, up to a day before you need it.
  5. Bake and reheat the bread pudding: Bake according to the recipe instructions, cool completely, cover with foil, and refrigerate. To re-heat, bake covered at 350 degrees until hot in the center.
  6. Freezing. Bake the bread pudding, let cool completely, cover with foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before freezing. Make sure the pan is wrapped tightly with foil, and it should keep for up to 3 months. To re-heat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and then bake, covered, at 350 degrees until warm throughout.

Nutrition

Calories: 489kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 4gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 157mgSodium: 237mgPotassium: 220mgFiber: 1gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 1264IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 1mg
Keyword bread, caramel
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