Bourbon Maple Bacon Bread Pudding

November 5, 2020 Tracy Lauth Bread Pudding, Desserts, Featured 0

Bacon Maple Bourbon Bread Pudding

By Tracy Lauth                                

Serves 10 caserrole or 18 individual muffin tins

Bourbon Maple Bacon Bread PuddingDownload Recipe

This recipe is a savory twist on a classic dessert.  Omit the alcohol and this would make a wonderful brunch item.  The aroma of bacon, cinnamon and maple will please your family.  This is a great buffet item as well as it holds its heat and can also be made on a BBQ while camping.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups            Sweet French Bread cubed and toasted
  • 4 slices           Cooked bacon, chopped into small pieces
  • 6                      large eggs
  • 3 cups            Half and Half (or whole milk)
  • 1 T                  Butter
  • 1/3 c               Maple Syrup or maple sugar
  • ¼ c                  High Quality Bourbon
  • 1 t                    Vanilla
  • ½ t                  Salt
  • 2 t                    Cinnamon
  • ¼ t                   Almond extract
  • ¼ t                   Nutmeg
  • ¼ t                   Clove

Sauce

  • ½ c                  Bourbon
  • 2 c                   Half and Half
  • ¼ c                  Brown Sugar
  • 1T                    Butter
  • ½ t                   Vanilla
  • ½ t                   Cinnamon
  • Pinch             Salt
  • 2 T                   Cornstarch
  • 1/3 c               Water

Instructions

  1. Heat Oven to 350 Degrees
  2. Butter 18 large muffin tins, 2 Qt casserole dish, cast iron skillet, or ramekins and fill with toasted bread cubes.  Set aside
  3. In medium saucepan heat half and half and butter until melted and hot
  4. Remove from heat and add maple syrup, bourbon, vanilla, salt, almond extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Stir to combine.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs
  6. Slowly pour half and half mixture into eggs whisking constantly.
  7. Pour warm mixture over bread cubes and let stand for five minutes or until bread cubes have absorbed liquid and become soft.
  8. Sprinkle bacon over top and gently push down into liquid.  You should still be able to see the bacon.
  9. Cover with foil and bake on sheet pan for 45 minutes
  10. Remove foil and bake 20 minutes or until puffed up in middle and knife comes out clean.
  11. Cool on wire rack.  Center will fall and settle.
  12. Serve warm with a dusting of powdered sugar and a bourbon sauce, ice cream or Chantilly cream.

Sauce

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring bourbon to boil.  Add half and half, sugar, butter, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon.
  2. Mix cornstarch and water in a jar with a lid.  Cover and shake well.
  3. Bring sauce to a low simmer.  Slowly add the cornstarch mixture stirring constantly.  Bring back to simmer and cook for 60 seconds. Mixture will thicken more as it cools.
  4. Remove from heat.  Serve over warm bread pudding. Top with chopped pecans or walnuts.

Substitutions

  1. Swap brown sugar or sweetener alternatives such as Monk Fruit Golden
  2. Swap almond milk for half and half and increase butter for richness
  3. Use Texas Toast, day old croissants, or waffles instead of sweet French bread