Description
A classic New Orleans style bread pudding featuring a rich blend of stale French bread, spices, dried fruits, and nuts, baked to golden perfection and served warm with a luscious Joe’s Whiskey Sauce made from butter, powdered sugar, egg yolks, and bourbon.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread Pudding
- 10 ounces stale French bread, crumbled (or 6-8 cups of any bread; reduce milk to 3 cups if using fresh bread)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 cups milk
Joe’s Whiskey Sauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup Bourbon
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and generously butter a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
- Mix Bread Pudding Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the crumbled stale French bread, granulated sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, raisins, shredded coconut, chopped pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, and milk. Stir everything well until the mixture is thoroughly moistened but not overly liquidy.
- Assemble and Bake: Pour the bread pudding mixture evenly into the buttered baking dish. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the top turns a beautiful golden brown and the pudding is fully set.
- Prepare Joe’s Whiskey Sauce: While the bread pudding is baking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Using a hand-held mixer, cream the butter and powdered sugar together until the butter is fully absorbed and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, then whisk in the egg yolks. Gradually add the bourbon while continuously stirring to combine. Allow the sauce to thicken slightly as it cools.
- Serve: Once the bread pudding is baked and slightly cooled, serve it warm with generous spoonfuls of the whiskey sauce drizzled on top for a rich, flavorful finishing touch.
Notes
- Using stale bread improves absorption and texture, but if using fresh bread, reduce milk to 3 cups to avoid a soupy mixture.
- You can substitute bourbon with rum or whiskey for a different flavor profile.
- This bread pudding is best served warm but can be reheated gently before serving.
- Ensure eggs in the whiskey sauce are fully cooked through gentle heating to avoid any risk of undercooked egg.
- For a nut-free version, omit the pecans and increase raisins or coconut.
