Give me an assignment to make bread and I’m on it! And a dessert where the main ingredient is bread, I’m really on it! So when Jurga asked me to bring Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce to their Rock ‘n Roll Gr8 dinner, I couldn’t wait to get into the kitchen!
Any dish that starts with a buttered pan filled with bread has got to be Gr8!
Growing up, bread pudding was one of my favorite desserts. My Grandmother usually added raisins and cinnamon which I thought was the only way to make it. Now I'm realizing that this is a dessert that can be easily customized! So...why not add chocolate?! 
After adding a sweet egg mixture, a wonderful dessert concoction (somewhat like a soufflé) is the outcome. While the pudding is baking, the aroma coming from the oven is sure to convince someone that a hot loaf of bread is in the oven. Well, I guess they would be right!
P.S. One of my new favorite products to use is vanilla bean paste. I used it in this recipe in lieu of vanilla extract. The consistency is more like a syrup and has real vanilla bean seeds in it and super yummy to add to many recipes calling for vanilla extract like our vanilla ice cream!
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Bread, chocolate and now praline sauce and pralines, nothing more was needed to satisfy the Great 8! Hopefully you will like it too!
Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce
Ingredients
Bread Pudding
- 6 cups bread cubes, use any bread you like such as brioche, sweet Hawaiian bread, pain au lait, egg or white
- 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces/shavings
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Praline Sauce
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- pinch of salt
Pralines
- 1 ½ Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ½ Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Bread Pudding
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Butter an 8 x 8 baking dish.
- Cut the bread into ½ inch squares and place the cubes into the buttered pan. Do not pack them in.
- Sprinkle the chocolate onto the top letting it drop into the crevices of the bread.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, cream, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.
- Pour the mixture over the bread and let stand for 15 minutes to let the bread soak up the custard.
- Bake for 25 to 35 minutes. Watch it closely as the top will become golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm with the warm praline sauce and sprinkle with pralines.
Praline Sauce
- Combine all of the praline sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil while constantly stirring. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve while warm!
Pralines
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.
- Add the sugar and combine, stirring for about a minute.
- Add the pecans and salt and stir on medium heat until the pecans are toasted and slightly browner.
- Place the pecans into a brown paper bag and shake occasionally until cool.
Notes
- The bread pudding can be made a day ahead. After baking and cooling the pudding, cover with foil and store in the refrigerator. When time to serve, set the pudding on the counter for about 15 minutes to come to room temperature. Place the pan in the oven (keep covered) and warm in a 350℉ oven for about 15 minutes or until warmed through.
- The pralines can be made up to a week ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Be a Gr8 Friend and tell us what you think!