Cranberry-Orange Bread Pudding
Submitted by cookinbj
Cranberry-orange bread pudding made with French bread, half-and-half custard, Grand Marnier, and tart fresh cranberries. Holiday dessert with crisp top, custard center, ruby pops in every bite.
YIELD
1 batchPREP
20 minCOOK
50 minREADY
1 hrsCranberry-orange bread pudding is the holiday dessert that turns a stale loaf of French bread into something worth opening the bottle of orange liqueur for. The orange-flavored liqueur (Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or Triple Sec) carries citrus depth into every soaked slice, and the tart fresh cranberries burst against the rich custard like little ruby surprises.
Buttering one side of each bread slice and arranging them butter-side-up is the trick that gives you a crisp, golden roof over the soft custard underneath. Without that step, the top dries out instead of crisping.
The 20-minute soak (or up to 2 hours in the fridge) is essential. Bread needs time to drink up the egg-cream mixture or the center stays dry and the dessert turns dense. Pressing gently with a fork forces any stubborn dry pockets to absorb.
Pro Tips
- Use day-old French bread, not fresh. Fresh bread sogs immediately, while staled bread holds structure and absorbs the custard evenly.
- Toss the cranberries on after the bread has soaked, not before. Mixing them in early sinks them and you lose the visual pop.
- Don’t skip the second sugar sprinkle on top. It crystallizes during baking into a thin sweet crust over the cranberries.
- Test doneness with a thin knife in the center, it should come out clean. Underbaked custard is wet, overbaked is rubbery.
Variations
- Drizzle with creme anglaise or warm whipped cream when serving for added richness.
- Substitute challah or brioche for the French bread for an even richer texture.
- Add 1 teaspoon orange zest to the custard mixture for double the citrus impact.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Grease shallow 2½ quart casserole.
Cut bread diagonally into ½ inch thick slices.
Lightly butter 1 side of each bread slice.
Arrange bread, butter side up, in prepared casserole, overlapping slices slightly.
In bowl, whisk eggs, half-and-half, liqueur, and ½ cup of the sugar until combined.
Gradually pour egg mixture over bread slices in casserole.
Let stand for at least 20 minutes (or cover and refrigerate mixture for up to 2 hours).
With a fork, gently press bread into egg mixture.
Sprinkle bread mixture with cranberries, and then with remaining ¼ cup sugar.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
Comments
