Maple Orange Bread Pudding
Bread pudding is one of those desserts that flies under the radar. Almost no one is going to claim it to be their favorite, yet a poll I posted on my YouTube channel shows that the majority do enjoy a slice. Maple orange bread pudding combines bright citrus and cozy maple syrup into a perfect dessert for early Fall.
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Bookish Bake… Kinda
Books are one of my great passions in life. When I started Bakes & Blunders, I started taking note whenever a book mentioned food. This bread pudding was partially inspired by The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins.
In the book, Tigris makes a simple bread pudding with leftover stale bread and tops it with corn syrup. That dessert would have been bare bones and simple, but I took some creative liberties and added orange zest, maple syrup, and a rich custard sauce because I wanted something a little more indulgent.
Maple Orange Bread Pudding
It’s been years since I’ve made a bread pudding, but Josh and I had an amazing one at a local cafe a few weeks ago, so it’s been on my mind recently. With fresh orange zest, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg, you’re going to love the vibes in each bite of this maple orange bread pudding.
Whatever you do, do NOT use regular pre-sliced sandwich bread. I suggest a loaf of French bread that is uncut. You want thick cubes of dry bread. If your bread is fresh, toast it in the oven for a few minutes. This will help the bread absorb the custard mixture better.
Maple Orange Creme Anglaise
After I made the maple orange bread pudding, it smelled so good and I was feeling lazy, so I considered maybe skipping the creme anglaise. But I realized it would probably need a saucy element to shine, so I made it anyway.
Y’all. While I suppose you could just drizzle on some maple syrup instead, this silky pouring custard was the bomb dot com. The citrus cuts through the rich cream just enough to balance the sauce. It’s also not too sweet, but just adds the creamy factor to each bite of the bread pudding.
Dive In
There are very few rules for bread pudding, at least as far as I’m aware. My pudding came out on the thin side because of the size of my pan. Use a smaller dish if you want a thicker serving. Personally, I loved it.
The maple orange bread pudding was sticky and sweet with slightly crisped edges. Since I used big chunks of dry bread, the texture was soft, but not wet or mushy. A light drizzle of cream sauce on top just brought every flavor into perfect balance.
Related Reading: Orange Cranberry Cookies
Enjoy!
Bread pudding may not be your first thought when it’s time to bake dessert, but you might want to keep this one in mind for the future. It’s so crazy easy to make and the flavors are just on point.
Would you eat a slice of this maple orange bread pudding if given the chance? I can’t wait to dive back in for another slice tonight!
Maple Orange Bread Pudding
Ingredients
Maple Orange Bread Pudding
- 7 oz day old French bread* cubed
- 2 eggs
- 8 fl oz half & half
- 6 oz sugar
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- ½ Tbsp vanilla
- Zest of 1 orange divided
- ⅛ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
Maple Orange Creme Anglaise
- 8 fl oz half & half
- 1 oz sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
Maple Orange Bread Pudding
- Preheat the oven to 325℉. Place the cubed bread in a mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, half and half, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, half of the orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg until completely combined. An immersion blender can ensure a perfectly smooth mixture.
- Pour the liquid over the bread and toss until well combined. Let the mixture soak for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice to ensure all of the bread is soaking.
- Lightly coat an 8x8 inch pan with nonstick spray. Transfer the bread mixture to the pan and arrange in an even layer. Bake until light brown and set, about 1 hour.
Maple Orange Creme Anglaise
- Combine the half and half and remaining orange zest in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook until hot, but not boiling. Stir occassionalloccasionally to prevent scorching.
- While that heats up, combine the sugar, egg, yolk, and maple syrup in a heat proof bowl. Whisk until smooth and homogeneous.
- Slowly pour the hot liquid into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk until everything is well combined.
- Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and return to a medium- low heat. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened and the custard coats the back of a spoon. It should reach 175℉- 180℉.
- Strain the custard into a clean bowl. If not using immediately, press cling wrap to the surface and cool to room temperature before covering and placing in the fridge.
- To serve, top a warm slice of bread pudding with a drizzle of the warm custard.
Notes
- If your bread is fresh, cube and toast for 10 minutes at 300F to dry it out. Cool before using.
Colleen
Hi there! I’m Colleen, a novice baker with a passion for learning and improving my bakes… and blunders. On Bakes and Blunders, you can find all sorts of tasty recipes that range in difficulty, but most importantly, I’ll try to explain the reason behind important steps. If you know why a recipe works, you can tweak and adapt it to suit your unique tastes, and you’ll be able to reliably produce some very delicious treats. If you love baking and want to expand and grow your skills, or if you are a casual baker and just need some pointers, my blog is right up your alley! Join me on my baking journey and we’ll learn how to make more impressive recipes together.
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