New Orleans Bread Pudding Recipe
Served with our famous praline rum sauce.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Bread Pudding
Praline Rum Sauce
Method
Bread Pudding
- 1
Prepare
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon softened butter.
- 2
Assemble bread
Place the torn bread pieces in a large mixing bowl. If using raisins or currants, scatter them evenly among the bread.
- 3
Make custard
In a separate bowl, whisk together whole milk, heavy cream, eggs, granulated sugar, 1 cup packed brown sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, salt, and 4 tablespoons melted butter until smooth and sugar is mostly dissolved.
- 4
Soak bread
Pour the custard evenly over the bread pieces, pressing down gently so the bread absorbs the liquid. Let sit 20 minutes at room temperature so the bread fully soaks; stir gently once or twice to ensure even absorption.
- 5
Bake
Transfer the soaked bread and any excess custard into the prepared baking dish, distributing bread evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 45–55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. If top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.
- 6
Rest
Remove from oven and let cool 10–15 minutes before serving so custard sets slightly.
Praline Rum Sauce
- 7
Make caramel base
While the pudding bakes (or in the last 15 minutes), melt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cup packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to bubble gently, about 2–3 minutes.
- 8
Finish sauce
Carefully whisk in 1 cup heavy cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Continue cooking and whisking 2–3 minutes until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 3 tablespoons dark rum, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans. Taste and adjust salt or rum to preference.
- 9
Serve warm
Keep the sauce warm over very low heat or in a thermos until ready to serve. Spoon generous amounts of warm praline rum sauce over slices of bread pudding. Leftover sauce will refrigerate up to 5 days; gently rewarm before serving.
