Description
This New Orleans Style Bread Pudding is a classic Southern dessert featuring stale French bread soaked in a rich custard mixture with raisins, coconut, pecans, and warm spices, baked to golden perfection. It is served with a luscious Joe’s Whiskey Sauce made from butter, powdered sugar, egg yolks, and bourbon for a comforting and indulgent finish.
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 Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking and ensure easy serving.
- Mix Bread Pudding Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the crumbled bread, granulated sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, raisins, shredded coconut, chopped pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, and milk. Stir well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated and the mixture is moist but not watery.
- Bake Bread Pudding: Pour the prepared mixture into the buttered baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown and the pudding is fully set.
- Prepare Joe’s Whiskey Sauce: While the bread pudding is baking, make the whiskey sauce by creaming the butter and powdered sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium heat using a hand-held mixer. Once smooth and fully combined, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks. Gradually add the bourbon, stirring constantly, and continue mixing off the heat until the sauce thickens as it cools.
- Serve: Serve the bread pudding warm, generously topped with Joe’s Whiskey Sauce for a rich and flavorful dessert experience.
Notes
- Using stale French bread helps absorb the custard better without becoming too mushy; if using fresh bread, reduce the milk to 3 cups.
- Make sure the bread pudding mixture is moist but not overly soupy before baking to ensure proper texture.
- Allow the whiskey sauce to cool slightly so it thickens before serving on the bread pudding.
- Serve the pudding warm for best texture and flavor.
- You can substitute bourbon with a non-alcoholic vanilla extract for a kid-friendly version, though the flavor will differ.
