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What Is Croissant Bread Pudding?
Croissant bread pudding is a variation on bread pudding, a sweet dish consisting of stale bread soaked in a mixture of milk, eggs, sugar, with various mix-ins. Croissant bread pudding features torn or sliced croissants in place of the more traditional French brioche bread.
Serve the dish as a breakfast or brunch food, or pair it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for dessert.
3 Tips for Making Croissant Bread Pudding
The best bread pudding makes the most of what you have, whether sprinkled with powdered sugar or served with a puddle of crème anglaise. This croissant version will be a cinch if you already know how to make bread pudding.
- 1. Use stale croissants. Any day-old croissants work for bread pudding: Plain croissants are a blank slate for flavored custards, but you can also make chocolate croissant bread pudding or almond croissant bread pudding. If you only have fresh croissants on hard, dry the croissant cubes on a baking sheet in a low oven before soaking them in the custard mixture. It’s a bit of extra work, but it ensures a moist—but not soggy—pudding.
- 2. Add a few extra elements for texture and flavor. Various mix-ins can add texture and dimension to bread puddings. Try classics like rum-soaked raisins, chocolate chips, chopped pecans or walnuts, or fresh raspberries.
- 3. Make in advance for an effortless morning. Since bread pudding requires a soaking period before baking, it’s an ideal dish to prepare the night before. Cover and refrigerate the soaked bread, then pop the bread pudding into the oven about an hour before you want to serve it.
Orange-Spiced Croissant Bread Pudding Recipe
makes
1 8-inch square bread puddingprep time
15 mintotal time
55 mincook time
40 minIngredients
Note: The total time does not include 25 minutes of inactive time.
- 1
Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish or a casserole dish with melted butter.
- 2
Combine the raisins and orange juice in a large bowl and let them soak for 10 minutes.
- 3
In a separate large bowl, combine the orange zest and sugar.
- 4
Use your hands to rub the zest into the sugar until aromatic and well-incorporated.
- 5
Add the eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and vanilla extract to the sugar mixture and whisk well.
- 6
Whisk in the warmed milk.
- 7
Add the croissant pieces to the raisin mixture, and toss to coat.
- 8
Transfer the bread mixture to the prepared baking dish, and cover with the custard mixture.
- 9
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to soak for at least 15 minutes.
- 10
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 11
Discard the plastic wrap and tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil.
- 12
Bake until the pudding is golden brown and the edges have begun to pull away from the sides, about 35 minutes.
- 13
Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes to crisp up the edges.
- 14
Remove the pan from the oven and brush the bread pudding with maple syrup while still warm.
- 15
Sprinkle the pudding with sea salt and let it cool slightly before serving.
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