Bread Pudding with Citrus Caramel Sauce is the perfect use for your day-old french bread loaf. It’s crunchy on top yet luscious underneath and slathered with a delicately sweet citrus caramel sauce, it’s a quick and simple dessert everyone will love!
Every time I go to our neighborhood supermarket for weekly groceries, I always make sure I pick up at least two french loaves from their bakery section.
One loaf we enjoy as Howell’s Bread, a delicious cheesy appetizer made of french loaf generously slathered with a mixture of butter, mayo, diced green chilis, cheddar jack cheese, green onions, and paprika and then baked until golden and bubbly. Seriously good stuff!
The other loaf gets turned into this bread pudding with citrus caramel sauce, a warm slice of heaven made of bread cubes soaked in a mixture of milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. The soaked bread is baked in the oven until golden and then finished off with a citrus caramel sauce that’s to die for!
Have you ever thrown something together that whatever you throw it into means success? That is my citrus caramel sauce for me!
I use it on chicken wings or pork chops and always with delicious results. I love it on breakfast waffles, pancakes or french toasts. It’s amazing drizzled over an afternoon slice of pound cake or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And on bread pudding? You bet!
Bread Pudding is a fantastic way to turn your day-old bread loaves into the ultimate comfort food. Simple to make and with basic ingredients, you’ll have a sweet dessert ready in a pinch.
Here are a few tips/tricks on how to make your very own pan of delicious bread pudding:
- Use day-old or slightly stale bread to ensure maximum absorption of the liquid.
- Add a few good dashes of salt to the custard mixture to balance out the sweetness.
- Beat the eggs well, leaving no specks of the white part. Although you can blend the eggs and milk together in one step, it’s easier to whisk the eggs by themselves first and then add the milk.
- Generously butter bottom and sides of the baking pan so the bread pudding is easier to remove and to help form a delicious crust all around.
- After adding the eggs and milk to the bread, let stand for at least 30 minutes before baking to allow the bread to soak up the custard mixture.
- To allow even cooking and to keep the pudding from drying out, cover the pan with foil for the first 30 minutes and then remove the foil to continue baking until golden brown.
Bread Pudding with Citrus Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 loaf (16 ounces) French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 6 eggs
- 3 cups milk
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
For the Citrus Caramel Sauce
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup orange juice
Instructions
- Generously grease bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 baking dish with the melted butter.
- In a large bowl, combine bread cubes and raisins. Toss to evenly disperse.
- In another bowl, whisk eggs until well-blended. Add milk, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until blended.
- Add liquid mixture to bread mixture. Gently stir to fully coat and moisten bread cubes.
- Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish, cover with foil and let stand for about 30 minutes.
- Bake in a 350 F oven for about 30 minutes or until pudding is mostly set and liquid is absorbed.
- Remove foil and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 or until top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add heavy cream and orange juice, stirring constantly. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened but still pourable. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Drizzle caramel sauce over bread pudding and cut into serving portions. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Ah that looks fantastic, can’t try to attempt this!
Thank you, Mal.
This recipe looks interesting and I may have to try it myself. Great idea.
Thanks, Whitney 🙂
Wow! It looks sweet and tasty! Will definitely try this at home. Thanks for sharing!
Mhaan | http://www.mommyrockininstyle.com
Thanks, Mhaan. 🙂
I really love bread pudding but I didn’t try this on my own, Glad you share this I want to give it a try
Welcome, Aziel! Give this a try 🙂
I love bread pudding! I made it for the first time a few months ago and fell in love. I’m definitely trying this recipe.
Thanks, Ashley! Enjoy!
I love bread pudding! For some reason this looks really sweet; I can try this out but maybe I’ll reduce the sweetness level…
The bread pudding is really not as sweet as it looks, at least for me it wasn’t. You definitely omit the caramel sauce if you like or cut the amount of sugar required to make the pudding.
I love love love bread puddings. I’m definitely trying your recipe. It looks so good.
Thank you, Amer.
That looks amazing. It looks delicious and certainly easy enough to make.
Thanks, Athena 🙂
Sweet and tang? I am up for that. This bread pudding sounds and looks amazing. I’m sure it’s going to be a hit with my kids as well. I’m keeping the recipe.
Thank you, Elizabeth! I hope your family will like this.
This looks amazing! I love that you added citrus to the caramel sauce. I would have never thought to do that!
Thanks, Erin! The citrus adds freshness and flavor contrast;)
I just LOVE bread pudding and make it as often as I can for Sunday brunch. I love the citrus caramel sauce, sounds delicious; I’ll have to try this out.
Please do try it, the citrus caramel definitely takes this bread pudding up a notch 🙂
Oh my this looks absolutely heavenly!!! I think I could do this too! I am not the best chef but can turn my hand to desserts, this one is a keeper!
Thank you! I hope you like it!
This is a good idea! I have never tried to make some bread pudding because because I think it’s hard. But this really look delicious and I need to try it soon!
It is simple but really delicious, Ruth!
I LOVE BREAD PUDDING! I love making it since I can use older bread and not have it go to waste! My kids love it and it’s a fun recipe to make with them! I haven’t tried any citrus in my caramel sauce so this is definitely intriguing! I will have to try it and see if my boys love it just as much! Thanks for the recipe!
The citrus caramel is a must try. It’s not cloyingly sweet so I can “almost” drink it up 🙂
God this looks heavenly … Thanx for the recipe .Gonna sure try this
Thanks 🙂
Your bread pudding looks perfect! It does not look too soggy at all which many bread puddings are too soggy for me. I LOVE the idea of a citrus caramel sauce! Thank you I will be making this SOON!
I like mine a little sturdier, too. Thanks, Joely 🙂
Oh my gosh, I think I’d really love this. It looks amazing.
Thank you, Amber.
What a great way to switch up bread pudding. I’ve always loved bread pudding but the kids don’t. I think they’d love it with your recipe.
The caramel sauce will do the trick 🙂