Ingredients
- SAUCE:
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2-1/4 cups half-and-half cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 20 dinner rolls (1-1/4 pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes (18 cups)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 cup butter, cubed
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup half-and-half cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk together the first 10 ingredients until blended. Gently stir in bread. Transfer to a greased 3-qt. or 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar; let stand until bread is softened, about 15 minutes. Bake until puffed and a knife inserted in center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes.
Meanwhile, for sauce, melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar; stir until dissolved. Gradually stir in cream. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until thickened, 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add vanilla, sea salt and baking soda, stirring well. Serve sauce with warm bread pudding.
Test Kitchen tips
Make sure the eggs are well beaten into the yolks; this will help the bread absorb them and reduce the likelihood of scrambled egg texture winding up in your custard.
Most leftover breads work well in this recipe—if it'll make good French toast, it'll make good bread pudding. In general, soft and airy breads are best for absorbing the custard.
To reheat, cut bread pudding into pieces and cook them in a little butter on the stovetop until crisp on each side. The texture is wonderful!
Chocolate-Cherry Variation - Stir in 3/4 cup dried cherries and 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips before baking.
Apricot-Almond Variation - Stir in 3/4 cup chopped dried apricots and 3/4 cup toasted sliced almonds before baking.
Cranberry-Walnut Variation - Stir in 3/4 cup dried cranberries and 3/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts before baking.
Fig-Pistachio Variation - Stir in 3/4 cup chopped dried figs and 3/4 cup toasted pistachios before baking.