Looking for an amazing Mother’s Day dessert recipe? This caramelized pecan bread pudding is super simple to make, and packs a big wow factor. It has a super soft cake-like base, and a chewy and crunchy caramel pecan crust. It is literally like the best cinnamon bun you can imagine but way less work. The secret is definitely in the topping. It takes this sometimes one-note dessert, and turns it into a symphony of taste and textures.
Bread Pudding, Simple to Make, Yet Unexpectedly Delicious
Bread pudding is one of those desserts that is often overlooked. It is an incredibly humble, understated, and centered on zero waste, frugality, and ingenuity. It is a true peasant food in many ways. Often, it is these desserts, that hold a warm place in our hearts. It may seem a bit odd to have chosen this as a Mother’s Day dessert. Some may feel something more extravagant or fussy should be in order. However, my mother loved bread pudding, as a kid I never understood why, but now that I’m grown up, it has become a favorite of mine too! As a mom myself now, I feel I can say that unfussy, yet exceptional, is something a mom will always appreciate.
Tips For Making Bread Pudding
- Stale sandwich bread or brioche is best.
- If the bread is still soft dice it and toast it briefly in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
- Line your baking dish with parchment, and spray with oil, to make for easy serving, and to keep the topping intact.
The Best Way To Make This Easy Recipe Is In Two Stages:
- The night before you bake, mix the custard base on the stove, pour over the cubed bread, and refrigerate.
- The next day, assemble and bake.
Looking For More Dessert Recipes?
Check out our collection of dessert, and sourdough surplus recipes.
The Best Caramelized Pecan Bread Pudding
This caramelized pecan bread pudding is super simple to make, and packs a big wow factor.
9
servings15
minutes1
hour1
hour15
minutesIngredients
360 g warm milk 1 1/2 cups
120 g table cream 1/2 cup (if unavalable milk will do)
113 g salted butter, 1 stick, 1/2 cup
3 eggs (room temperature)
10 g vanilla extract 2 tsp
1.4 g cinnamon 1/4 tsp
0.7 g cardamom 1/8 tsp
100 g sugar 1/2 cup
400 g sourdough bread cubed, 8+ cups
- Caramel Pecan Topping
113 g butter, 1/2 cup
150 g brown sugar, 3/4 cup
50 g pecans, 1/2 cup
Directions
- Overnight Mixture
- Place three eggs in a bowl of warm water to bring to room temperature.
- Slice bread into 1 inch cubes, place in large mixing bowl. If bread is not stale place cubed bread on baking sheet and toast in oven at 300 for 10 minute, allow 5 minutes to cool.
- In a pot, on the medium-low stovetop setting, stirring frequently, heat milk, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, and butter until sugar has dissolved, butter has melted, and milk is warm. Turn off heat.
- Beat three eggs in a bowl, pour small amount of milk mixture over eggs, whisk, then pour egg mixture into the pot stirring vigorously. Add remaining vanilla.
- Pour milk mixture over cubed bread, stir well to combine, press bread cubes down into milk so they can fully absorb the liquid. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or up to 24 hours.
- To Bake
- When you are ready to bake the bread pudding, preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray 8x8x2 baking dish. Cut two pieces of parchment, one to cover the bottom of the pan and up the two sides, and the other to go over top in opposite direction, up the other two sides. Spray parchment with oil.
- In a small pot on the stove, over medium heat, melt butter. Mix in brown sugar, stirring until dissolved, and blended with butter.
- Pour the caramel mixture in bottom of parchment lined 8x8x2 pan, sprinkle with pecans, followed by the bread mixture on top. Bake for 45-60 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. You will want to place your baking dish on top of a cookie sheet to ensure the caramel does not boil over onto you heating element. The bread pudding is done when the top is lightly browned and the caramel bottom is bottom is bubbling up the sides. When pudding is done, allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Next, cover pan with serving tray and flip, as you would an upside down cake. Remove parchment and serve on its own, or with whipped cream, ice cream, or berries.
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