Description
A rustic, comforting dessert made with stale brioche, rich custard, and a crunchy pecan praline topping, served with a warm, boozy bourbon sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 loaf brioche or challah bread (16–20 oz), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- For the Bourbon Sauce: 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- For the Bourbon Sauce: 1/2 cup heavy cream
- For the Bourbon Sauce: 2 tablespoons bourbon
- For the Bourbon Sauce: 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- For the Bourbon Sauce: 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Optional: Flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- If bread is fresh, toast cubes on a baking sheet for 10 minutes to dry out. If stale, skip this step.
- Place bread cubes in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together heavy cream, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
- Pour custard mixture over bread. Press bread down to ensure it is fully soaked. Let sit for 15-20 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons butter. Stir in brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until coated.
- Spread pecan topping evenly over the soaked bread.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until top is golden and center has a slight jiggle. Cover with foil if top browns too quickly.
- Cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- For sauce: In a small saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Whisk in cream and bourbon. Simmer gently.
- Whisk in confectioners’ sugar and salt until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Serve warm pudding drizzled with bourbon sauce and sprinkled with flaky sea salt.
Notes
Use stale bread for best results. Do not overbake; the center should still jiggle slightly. The sauce thickens as it cools; add a splash of cream to thin if reheating. This recipe can be assembled up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated before baking.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice with sauce
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 45
- Sodium: 280
- Fat: 32
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 8
Keywords: bread pudding, bourbon sauce, pecan praline, brioche, comfort food, dessert, southern recipe, easy baking