History

Bread pudding entered Creole cooking via French and English colonial households; the New Orleans version codified in the 19th century around the city's plentiful day-old French bread (the Leidenheimer loaf in particular). Commander's Palace and Galatoire's both ran versions through the late 1800s; the bourbon-sauce form became standard mid-20th-century. Boucherie's chef Nathanial Zimet made the unusual Krispy Kreme bread pudding (built on glazed doughnuts) a city talking point in the 2000s; Atchafalaya's brunch service plates a classic French-bread version under bourbon sauce. The dish is as much a Sunday-supper home staple as a restaurant signature.

Common allergens: Gluten, Egg, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 6Hands-on 20 minTotal 1 hr 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 (340g) loaf day-old French bread, torn into chunks (about 8 cups)
  • 4 cups (1L) whole milk
  • 1 cup (250ml) double cream
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1.5 cups (300g) caster sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup (150g) raisins (or chopped pecans for a Cajun version)
  • For the bourbon sauce: 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (200g) caster sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) bourbon

Method

  1. Heat oven to 175C / 350F. Butter a 23cm by 33cm baking dish.
  2. Pile the torn bread into the dish.
  3. Whisk milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg until smooth. Stir in the raisins.
  4. Pour the custard over the bread, pressing down with a wooden spoon so every chunk soaks. Rest 15 minutes (the bread drinks the custard in).
  5. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until the top is deep golden, the custard is set with no jiggle, and the edges crisp.
  6. Make the bourbon sauce while the pudding bakes: melt butter and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; simmer 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is glossy.
  7. Whisk the egg in a small bowl; temper with a ladle of the warm butter-sugar (whisk constantly to keep the egg from scrambling).
  8. Pour the tempered egg back into the saucepan, whisk for 30 seconds off the heat (the residual heat sets it). Stir in the bourbon.
  9. Cut the warm pudding into squares; plate each with a generous ladle of the warm bourbon sauce over the top.

Tip from the editors. Day-old French bread is essential; fresh bread turns to mush in the custard. Slice and dry it on a rack overnight, or toast cubes briefly in a low oven.

Where to eat bread pudding

Bread pudding in New Orleans

Commander's Palace ★ 4.8

BrunchJazz brunch$$$50 to $90Sat to Sun 10:00-13:30Required, 2 to 4 weeks ahead

Commander's Palace in New Orleans is the Garden District grande dame on Washington Avenue, with the canonical New Orleans Sunday jazz brunch.

Order: Turtle soup with sherry, then eggs Sardou.

Tip: The 25-cent martini (3 max) is the brunch tradition; jacket suggested for the men in the upstairs Garden Room.

1403 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

Atchafalaya ★ 4.5

BrunchBloody Mary bar Creole$$$20 to $40Sat to Sun 09:30-14:30Recommended weekends

Atchafalaya in New Orleans is the Louisiana Avenue Creole brunch room on the Garden District edge, with a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar, duck hash and live.

Order: Duck hash with sunny eggs; build a Bloody Mary at the bar.

Tip: Saturday and Sunday brunch with live music; arrive 09:30 or hold for the 13:00 turn.

901 Louisiana Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115

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