Bread pudding is one of the simplest dishes I know. Its logic comes from a very wise and sustainable idea – not wasting any food, including bread. In essence, it’s a type of French toast you don’t fry, and it’s also much more delicious.
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For those of you who aren’t familiar, bread pudding basically bread slices or rolls covered in a mix of eggs and cream (you can also use any fat percentage or even milk), and from there, the sky's the limit.
You can make a savory version with cheeses, vegetables, and your favorite toppings. And, of course, you can also make a sweet version with seasonal fruits, chocolate, or cinnamon.
Either way, I urge you to test and experiment – make a simple batter with just eggs and cream, cover it with pieces of bread, and do what feels right to you using whatever you have at home.
Here are two of my own versions, one with frozen spinach, and garlic, and a sweet version wonderful with raspberries, and dark chocolate to balance the tartness.
Bread pudding with spinach, garlic, and mozzarella
Ingredients:
- 1 loaf of stale bread or 4-5 bread rolls.
- 2 large eggs.
- 1 cup of cream (15% fat, you can also use 10%).
- 6 frozen packed spinach rolls or 1 box of fresh spinach leaves.
- 2 teaspoons of green garlic paste, crushed garlic, or pesto.
- 1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt.
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- 2/3 cup of grated mozzarella, or feta cheese (optional)
Instructions:
1. Line a 20x30 cm baking dish with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 185°C (365°F).
2. If using frozen spinach, thaw it on the counter or in the microwave. Transfer it to a large bowl.
3. Add the eggs, cream, garlic paste or pesto, salt, pepper, and mozzarella to the same bowl with the spinach, and mix well.
4. Tear the bread or rolls into relatively large pieces, about 6 cm (2.5 inches) in size, and transfer them to the bowl with the egg and cream mixture. Gently mix until the bread is coated well.
5. Transfer the bread mixture to the prepared baking dish and flatten it slightly to have a relatively even height. The height doesn't have to be exactly the same everywhere as it will create some softer and some crispier parts.
6. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the pudding is golden.
Other options for vegetables to use instead of spinach include zucchini, roasted peppers, corn, onions, mushrooms, olives, and cherry tomatoes.
Bread pudding with raspberries and dark chocolate
Ingredients:
- 1 loaf of stale bread or 4-5 bread rolls.
- 2 large eggs.
- 1 cup of heavy cream (38% fat, you can also use 32% or 15% if you prefer)
- 3 tablespoons of sugar, maple syrup, or honey.
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or the seeds of one vanilla pod.
- 1 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries.
- 80-100 grams of dark chocolate.
- Powdered sugar for decorating.
Instructions:
1. Line a 20x30 cm baking dish with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 185°C (365°F).
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, heavy cream, sugar, or other sweetener, and vanilla extract or seeds. Whisk well.
3. Tear the bread or rolls into large chunks and transfer them to the bowl with the egg and cream mixture. Gently mix until the bread is coated well.
4. Transfer the bread mixture to the prepared baking dish and level it slightly so that the mixture covers the whole dish.
5. Sprinkle the raspberries and dark chocolate on top. If using a chocolate bar, break it into pieces.
6. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the pudding is golden. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. You can also serve the dish with vanilla ice cream.
Other options for fruit include various barriers including blueberries, strawberries, and more, cubed apples, apricots, peaches, and pears.