New Orleans Bread Pudding Caramel (Printable version)

Southern-style bread pudding rich in custard, dotted with raisins, finished with smooth caramel sauce.

# What you'll need:

→ Bread Pudding Base

01 - 6 cups day-old French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 cups whole milk
03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - 4 large eggs
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/2 cup raisins
10 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
11 - Pinch of salt

→ Caramel Sauce

12 - 1 cup granulated sugar
13 - 1/4 cup water
14 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
15 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
16 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
17 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
02 - Place bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. Pour milk and cream over the bread, tossing gently to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes to absorb liquid.
03 - Whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a separate bowl. Add melted butter and whisk until fully incorporated.
04 - Pour egg mixture over soaked bread. Add raisins and fold gently until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
05 - Spread bread mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
06 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown and set. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
07 - Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until sugar dissolves and turns deep amber, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
08 - Remove from heat. Carefully whisk in butter—the mixture will bubble vigorously. Slowly add cream while whisking constantly until smooth. Stir in vanilla and salt.
09 - Serve bread pudding warm, generously drizzled with caramel sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Transforms stale bread into something magical, which feels like the ultimate kitchen victory
  • The warm caramel sauce takes just minutes but makes it feel like restaurant quality
02 -
  • The caramel will seize up and turn into hard lumps if you add cream too quickly, so pour it in a slow stream while whisking constantly
  • Bread pudding continues to set as it cools slightly, so do not worry if it seems a little jiggly right out of the oven
03 -
  • Place your baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any potential overflow during baking
  • If the top starts browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking

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