Warm Croissant Bread Pudding

By mhatkinson

Ingredients

• Bread Pudding:
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 cups whipping cream
• 9 large croissants, torn into pieces
• Dried Cherry Sauce:
• 1 1/2 cups dried cherries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup kirsch (clear cherry brandy)
• Rum Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce:
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3 cups whipping cream
• 1/4 cup rum

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Bread Pudding:
Combine egg yolks, egg, sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in milk and cream; strain through a fine strainer.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Arrange croissant pieces in an 11-by-7-by-2-inch baking pan. Pour in as much egg mixture as needed to soak croissants, leaving a little of the croissants visible on top; cover with foil. Place pan in a larger pan; fill larger pan with 1 inch of hot water. Bake 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from water bath; cool to room temperature to serve. Serve with Dried Cherry Sauce and Rum Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce.

Dried Cherry Sauce:
Combine cherries, sugar and water in small heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Cool completely. Add kirsch. Place about 2 tablespoons on top of bread pudding.

Rum Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce:
Put water in a heavy medium saucepan and add sugar, but do not stir. Add vanilla bean; do not stir. Cook over medium heat until dark in color; swirl pan if necessary, but do not stir. Watch carefully; do not let burn. Stir in butter over low heat. Add cream, then rum. Serve warm. Cover and refrigerate extra sauce for future use. To serve, drizzle around and over bread pudding.