Twisted Hummingbird Bread Pudding
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Sweet bread base soaked in an egg-milk blend with ripe banana and crushed pineapple switched up to mandarin oranges for a citrus spark. Pecan crunch, brown sugar topping, butter drip, baked till set with visual cues. Salted caramel sauce made with cream, butter, brown sugar, salt. Watch bubbling, glossiness, and thickness shifts for sauce done-ness. Serve warm, ice cream optional but recommended. Timing adjusted slightly, salt caramel sauce stirred to prevent burning. Substitutions and lessons learned from multiple batches. Depth from cinnamon and vanilla but swapped white sugar with coconut sugar for a richer, earthier note. Practical advice on bread choice and moisture control included. A hands-on approach to bread pudding mastery.
Prep:
27 min
Cook:
48 min
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#dessert
#American
#bread pudding
#caramel
#baking
Bread puddings are like old friends you keep tweaking with every try. Some experiments were disasters—soggy brick, tasteless mush, or weirdly burnt edges. Learned quick you gotta respect the bread. Stale works but no crumbling dust please. That soak step? Countdown 10 minutes, not more, not less—enough so cubes soak but still stay pockets, hold shape. Then fruit swap out here. Pineapple good, but mandarin oranges bring something lively, unexpected. Brown sugar swap to coconut sugar felt more complex, less one-note sweetness. Sauces need attention, watch that bubbling caramel carefully. Skip the rush, let it cream beautifully, salt cuts harsh sugar. Serve with plain vanilla ice cream or whipped cream—again, contrast or it’s just sugar overload. That knife test in center? My favorite distress signal for doneness—moist but set, not sloppy or rubbery. This is not a quick fix; it’s a dance of timing, texture, flavor balance.
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 loaf day-old brioche bread cubed roughly
- 2 ripe bananas diced
- 1 cup canned mandarin orange segments drained
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
FOR SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE===
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
About the ingredients
Bread puddings hinge on the bread choice. Stale brioche or challah ideal; their crumb structure soaks liquids without dissolving into glue. If fresh bread, dry it in low oven or toast beforehand. Eggs bind and give custard structure; don’t swap for liquid egg whites only or pudding won’t hold. Whole milk brings fat and richness; alternatives like almond milk work but texture differs—expect more dryness. Coconut sugar adds depth but can be replaced by light brown sugar if unavailable. Fruit swap is welcome; mandarin oranges swap enlightens with fresh citrus notes but watch moisture—drain juices well or pudding turns soup. Pecans toast on top adding crunch; walnuts or almonds fine substitutes. Butter drizzle on top before baking gives browning and flavor. For caramel sauce, use real cream and unsalted butter to control salt levels. Salt is crucial, get flaky sea salt or good-quality coarse salt for finishing.
Method
- Preheat oven 350°F. Spray 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray, done. Bread choice really matters here; brioche or challah absorbs best, stale is best; fresher bread can get soggy nightmare. Cubed about 1-inch chunks.
- Whisk eggs, whole milk, coconut sugar, vanilla, cinnamon in medium bowl till homogenous. Coconut sugar brings mellow molasses undertone, skip if unavailable; regular brown sugar works but shifts taste.
- In big mixing bowl toss cubed bread, pour egg mixture over immediately. Stir to coat each chunk. Rest 10 minutes. Stir once midway to redistribute milk-egg liquid. Watch texture change; bread looks soaked not soggy.
- Add diced bananas, use very ripe; substitute pineapple tidbits with drained mandarin oranges for surprising bright twist. Both bring juicy pockets; mandarin peel off is key or bitter. Fold gently, avoid banana mush.
- Transfer mixture to baking dish, spread even. Brown sugar sprinkle top, followed by chopped pecans for toasty nut crunch. Drizzle with the melted butter, steady slow pour to avoid clumping.
- Bake 45-50 minutes. Check center by inserting knife; liquid should be clear when pulled out, not milky white. If liquid thick or gummy, needs more bake. Edges should pull away slightly from pan, golden brown crisp hints on top.
- Sauce time. Combine butter, brown sugar, cream, salt in saucepan over medium. Stir till butter melts, sugar dissolves; bubble to a rolling boil. Remove from heat after 3-4 minutes. Watch color deepen to light amber, not burnt.
- If sauce thickens too much when cooling, rewarm gently on low. Sauce is lifesaver on this sweet pudding, salty hits cut the sugary richness.
- Serve pudding warm with salty caramel drizzle. Goes wild with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Leftovers? Reheat gently; sauce separated? Stir over gentle heat to reincorporate.
- Troubleshooting: Fresh bread leads to mush; stale, dry bread mandatory. Too dry pudding? Add splash milk before baking. Overbake yields dense texture; underbake leaves wet center. Sauce burning means heat too high; stir often.
Cooking tips
Start by preheating and prepping baking dish, nonstick spray is king here—no fighting stuck edges next day. Mixing eggs, milk, sugars with vanilla and cinnamon creates your custard base; cinnamon is aromatic, don’t skip it. Pour custard over cubed bread and rest 10 minutes—watch how bread swells, little shrinking or sogginess means timing’s right. Stir once halfway to absorb uneven spots; more stirring risks mush. Add fruit last to avoid overmashing bananas; gentle fold preserves texture and pockets of flavor. Layer into dish; sprinkle brown sugar and pecans on top adds sweet crunch and nutty contrast; butter drizzle ensures golden surface. Baking time varies—start checking at 40 minutes, skin drains some liquids but center needs clear juices on knife test—this is trickiest but reliable indicator. Caramel sauce on stovetop: medium heat and constant stirring prevent burning. Boil briefly for thickness but not color darkening too far. Serve warm immediately; thick sauce to thin with quick microwave zap or slow heating while stirring. Pudding can be refrigerated and reheated but never nuke cold sauce directly or it separates. Practice patience—the pudding rewards the watchful cook.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Bread matters most. Stale brioche or challah. Not dry crumbs but firm cubes. Fresh bread means soggy mess; dry it in low oven if fresh. Soak time is strict; 10 minutes only, no more, no less. Stir halfway to even soak but not mush. Texture changes from dry to swollen, not collapsing. Keep fruit fold gentle. Bananas mashed kill pockets of flavor and make wet spots.
- 💡 Sugar swap works as coconut for complexity; brown sugar fine substitute but shifts taste simpler. Whole milk adds creaminess; almond or plant milk dries texture but still works —expect less custardy density. Eggs bind custard; avoid just whites or structure fails. Butter drizzle before baking creates golden top. Toast nuts on top or use walnuts; pecans bring salt and crunch balance.
- 💡 Watch baking time closely. Start testing at 40 minutes. Insert knife in center; juices clear means done. White or milky means gooey center not set yet. Edges pull away slightly, golden brown hints on top signal start of caramelization. Overbaking equals dry, rubbery pudding. Underbake - soggy. Sauce temperature crucial. Medium heat only, stir constantly. Boil few minutes, bubble size shifts signal thickness. Dark amber but not burnt is sweet spot.
- 💡 Fruit swap; mandarin oranges drain thoroughly. Any excess juice means soggy pudding or soup layer. Pineapple can be used but brighter citrus of mandarin lightens heaviness. Banana ripeness critical; too green = texture off, overly ripe = mush. Fold fruit last, gently. Avoid over stirring after fruit added. Timing on sauce cooling and reheating matters. Too thick from cooling? Warm gently; reheat quickly, constant stirring to avoid separation.
- 💡 Leftovers reheat best gently in microwave or oven—low heat. Sauce often separates when cold—stir while warming on stovetop to bring back glossy texture. If pudding too dry, splash milk and stir before rebaking or reheating. Crust hardens over time; cover to keep moisture but not seal steam, else soggy edges develop. Use flaky sea salt on sauce; rough salt crunch contrasts sweetness well.
Common questions
How to avoid soggy pudding?
Use stale bread only. Fresh bread soaks too quick and collapses. 10 min soak max no more. Stir once midway to absorb mix evenly. Drain fruit well. Avoid over stirring. Bake long enough for clear knife test.
Can I replace coconut sugar?
Yes use light brown sugar. Flavor simpler less deep. Skip if unavailable but shifts taste noticeably. Brown sugar also darkens custard slightly. White sugar no good here; loses richness.
What if caramel sauce burns?
Heat too high. Stir constantly medium heat only. Remove when color barely amber, not dark brown. Boil few minutes only. Rewarm on low if thickened too much cooling. Salt balances sweetness, don’t skip.
How to store leftovers?
Cool completely. Refrigerate in sealed container. Sauce kept separate if possible. Reheat gently in microwave or oven. Sauce may separate; stir over low heat to recombine. Avoid boiling reheat; breaks sauce texture.
