Bread Pudding with Pears and Currants

If you've ever struggled to actually put together something from IKEA then you will understand the need to celebrate afterwards.

In my case, I bought an 8 drawer dresser that resided in my living room for 3 weeks partially completed, becoming a permanent unfinished counter top until just last night. What on earth does this have to with bread pudding you must be wondering? Nothing. Except after my IKEA nightmare was finally assembled I wanted dessert and wine and I didn't want to brave the cold outdoors for either one.

So I whipped this up having never made it before with no real recipe and just a few ingredients. Which should go to show you how infallible it is. It was one of the most satisfying comfort desserts I've had in ages. A great no hassle dessert for winter dinner parties, family meals, or even IKEA put-it-together celebrations.

This bread pudding is simply a mixture of custard base with cubed white bread, pears, and spices. It's baked in a water bath for 30 minutes and browned on top for 20 minutes more with some sprinkled sugar for added texture and flavor. Hard to resist breaking through the sugary crusty top to the soft sweet spicy filling underneath.

Bread Pudding with Pears and Currants

serves 6 people

Ingredients

4-5 cups of bread cubed (country white, brioche, challah, whatever) I like the crusts on but you can remove them

3 cups cream (or whole milk if you must – see note at bottom)

4 eggs

1/2 – 3/4 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder, or 1 vanilla bean scraped, or 1 T vanilla extract

1 large pear, diced

1/3 cup currants

Instructions Preheat oven to 350˚F. Scald cream with sugar, vanilla, and spices in a sauce pot. Whisk eggs together in a mixing bowl. Add scaled milk to eggs little by little whisking constantly until fully incorporated. Pour milk mixture over cubed bread and fold in currants and pears. Spoon bread mixture into ramekins up to the top and place into a 1 1/2-inch hot water bath. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and increase the heat to 425˚F. Sprinkle extra sugar over the top if desired. Bake for another 20 minutes or until the puddings have puffed up and are nicely browned on top while moist but firm on the inside.

Cooks Notes: I tried this recipe the next day (to get the correct measurements) with milk because I ran out of cream and it worked just as well. Although it wasn't nearly as rich and decadent. It still forms a custard base but not quite as silky as with cream. Also, the bread pudding will not poof up until the last 20 minutes on the higher temperature with the foil removed. So be patient!

Comments

[Fran, London]

Perfect winter food. This is a delicious version of the classic English bread and butter pudding. We butter the bread first (just for that little extra fat!)and tend to use slices of bread in layers with currants or other dried fruit. I'm going to make one now...

[SAS]

After living in New Orleans for many years, bread puddings were one of my favorite desserts (especially when you added a nice custard sauce or syrup on top!). Alas, all gone now. Gluten-free bread is either a) too expensive, or b) too much of a bother to make just to have a pudding base. FYI, if you need a savory treat, just make a bread pudding with cheese layered between the bread cubes, pour on the custard and let set overnight before baking. As Rachel would say, Yummo! Have you been skating at Rockefeller Centre yet? :> Happy holidays!

[KKLL]

I've been on a bread pudding binge recently and recently took a class where we baked the spiced chocolate bread pudding in a kabocha pumpkin instead of a pan.

I also did a Kona coffee bread pudding a while back after baking a baugette. I was bummed that I forgot to strain out coffee grounds before pouring the cream mixture over the bread cubes, but I figured, what the heck, it will add a nice crunch texture to the pudding. What turned out was total serendiptidy...most of the grounds settled to the bottom of the pan and formed a nice Kona coffee crust. I'll have to try this one again to see if I can reproduce it.

[KKLL]

I've been on a bread pudding binge recently and recently took a class where we baked the spiced chocolate bread pudding in a kabocha pumpkin instead of a pan.

I also did a Kona coffee bread pudding a while back after baking a baugette. I was bummed that I forgot to strain out coffee grounds before pouring the cream mixture over the bread cubes, but I figured, what the heck, it will add a nice crunch texture to the pudding. What turned out was total serendiptidy...most of the grounds settled to the bottom of the pan and formed a nice Kona coffee crust. I'll have to try this one again to see if I can reproduce it.

[KKLL]

I've been on a bread pudding binge recently and recently took a class where we baked the spiced chocolate bread pudding in a kabocha pumpkin instead of a pan.

I also did a Kona coffee bread pudding a while back after baking a baugette. I was bummed that I forgot to strain out coffee grounds before pouring the cream mixture over the bread cubes, but I figured, what the heck, it will add a nice crunch texture to the pudding. What turned out was total serendiptidy...most of the grounds settled to the bottom of the pan and formed a nice Kona coffee crust. I'll have to try this one again to see if I can reproduce it.

[KKLL]

I've been on a bread pudding binge recently and recently took a class where we baked the spiced chocolate bread pudding in a kabocha pumpkin instead of a pan.

I also did a Kona coffee bread pudding a while back after baking a baugette. I was bummed that I forgot to strain out coffee grounds before pouring the cream mixture over the bread cubes, but I figured, what the heck, it will add a nice crunch texture to the pudding. What turned out was total serendiptidy...most of the grounds settled to the bottom of the pan and formed a nice Kona coffee crust. I'll have to try this one again to see if I can reproduce it.

[adele]

Mmm. Just the thing for chilly weather... and it's definitely getting cold in Boston.

[SAS]

FYI, la femme du diable, this post made me absolutely crave something baked, so I just finished making GF banana bread. The house smells SOOOO good... :>

[KKLL]

Wow, a quadruple post. Wonder what caused my previous post to be listed four times. I only clicked on once.

[Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)]

Sometimes I think IKEA should sell the antidote along with their "easy to assemble" furniture -- which sometimes is not easy at all. This bread pudding looks like a winner -- and I love the aroma of baked pears in the winter.

[BooRadley4000AD]

What kind of camera do you use for those great macro shots of your food? (I try to emulate, with less success...)

[José]

Hi,

And I bet it tastes better than the dresser :-)
Although I seldom eat it, I also like bread pudding with raisins.
It kind of reminds of a flan pudding.
I never had one like yours, it must be really good. The pear must give it a kind of sorbet feeling.
I wonder why people buy furniture at Ikea when there's so much superior quality around....
Like I say : for me mahogany or oak

Wish you a Merry Christmas,

José

[Het]

Yummmmm... This sounds delicious! Just the thing for a warm winter night. What are you planning for a New Year's Dinner. Please send ideas, we've got company coming... Het

[La Loutre]

Hum, Hum, ill do this reciepe very soon, i love bread pudding. Its remember me when i passed my vacation in Irland with my parents when i was young. One time we staied in a hotel during one week and every morning i ate different bread pudding. It was so delicious.
When will you do a video ? i think every one who are here miss that :-)

[starman1695]

Bonnes Fêtes !

[Laurent]

That was a most delicious recipe.

[sudhakar]

I've done a bread and butter pudding with home made bread(from a freezer stash) and apples. Turned out great.We make huge trays of it at college and drown it in honey.

[Butter Me Up]

I tried your recipe with peaches and they came out of the oven simply to die for.

Thanks Amy!

[viagra online]

It is just like yours, minus the snacks in rooms. We each go to our beds and read or look at books, they may play something quietly on their bed or they may rest. After one hour, it seems we are refreshed and restored and happy to see each other!