New Orleans Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Drizzling bourbon sauce on a slice of bread pudding.

New Orleans Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

Stale French bread soaked in a cinnamon and nutmeg custard, layered with bourbon-soaked golden raisins, baked until golden, and finished with a warm brown sugar bourbon sauce.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword bread pudding, bread pudding with bourbon sauce

Servings servings

Calories 591kcal

Author Lauren LeBlanc

Equipment

9 x 13-inch baking dish
2-quart saucepan
Large bowl
instant read thermometer optional

Ingredients

Bourbon-Soaked Raisins

½ cup golden raisins
½ cup bourbon or whiskey optional

Bread Pudding

3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
18 ounces stale French bread about 1 ½ loaves
2 cups whole milk
1 ½ cups heavy cream
4 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup bourbon or whiskey optional
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
pinch kosher salt

Bourbon Sauce

½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch kosher salt
¼ cup bourbon or whiskey optional

Instructions

PLUMP: Soak raisins in bourbon, covered, for at least 2 hours or overnight.
½ cup golden raisins, ½ cup bourbon or whiskey
PREP: Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Warm milk and cream to 100 to 110°F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 18 ounces stale French bread, 2 cups whole milk, 1 ½ cups heavy cream
WHISK: In a large bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolks, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Slowly whisk in milk mixture and butter. Add bourbon, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt, and mix well.
4 large eggs, 3 large egg yolks, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup bourbon or whiskey, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice, pinch kosher salt
SOAK: Gently fold bread into custard until all bread is wet. Pour half of bread mixture into the baking dish and scatter raisins over the top. Pour in any remaining soaking liquid, or save it for the sauce. Top with remaining bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to overnight, or soak at room temperature for 30 minutes.
BAKE: Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Let a refrigerated dish sit at room temperature while the oven heats, since a cold dish can crack. Bake uncovered for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center barely jiggles.
SIMMER: While the pudding bakes, melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in brown sugar; it will look like wet sand. Slowly whisk in cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in bourbon and any saved raisin soaking liquid.
½ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, ¾ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, Pinch kosher salt, ¼ cup bourbon or whiskey
FINISH: Let bread pudding cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then pour sauce over the top.
SERVE: Slice and serve warm, with vanilla ice cream if you like.

Notes

If you only have fresh bread: Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and spread them on a wire rack set on a baking sheet. Bake on the center rack at 250°F for about 10 minutes, or until dry.
Make-ahead: Assemble it, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Let the dish sit at room temperature while the oven preheats, then bake as directed. For the sauce, make and cool completely, then refrigerate for up to 2 days. Rewarm on the stove before serving.
Storage: Cover leftover bread pudding and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Store leftover sauce separately.
Reheating: Rewarm individual pieces in the microwave, or cover the dish with foil and warm it in a 325°F oven. Rewarm the sauce on the stove.
Family-friendly: Leave out the bourbon in all three components. In the pudding and the sauce, replace it with an equal amount of apple juice or add an extra ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to each.

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