See below for recipe
New Orleans, a city renowned for its rich history, vibrant culture, and delectable Creole cuisine, has long been a melting pot of flavors and traditions. Among the city’s many culinary claims to fame, one dessert stands out as a quintessential New Orleans treat: bread pudding.
Bread pudding, a dessert made from stale bread, sugar, eggs, and spices, has its roots in medieval Europe. The dish was originally created as a way to repurpose stale bread, which was a common problem in households before the advent of modern bread preservation techniques. Over time, bread pudding spread throughout Europe and eventually made its way to the Americas, where it was adapted and modified by various cultures.
In New Orleans, bread pudding became a staple dessert in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly among the city’s Creole population. The Creoles, who were descended from French, Spanish, African, and Native American ancestors, brought their own unique culinary traditions to the city, including a fondness for bread pudding. New Orleans’ bread pudding was distinct from its European counterparts, featuring a blend of French, Spanish, and African influences that reflected the city’s cultural melting pot.
French and Spanish cuisine played a significant role in shaping New Orleans’ bread pudding tradition. The French, who founded the city in 1718, introduced their own bread pudding recipes, which featured ingredients like baguette, butter, and eggs. The Spanish, who controlled the city from 1762 to 1800, added their own twist to the dish, incorporating ingredients like citrus and spices.
The resulting bread pudding was a unique blend of French and Spanish flavors, with a dense, moist texture and a rich, caramelized crust. This style of bread pudding became a hallmark of New Orleans’ Creole cuisine, and its popularity endures to this day.
Over time, bread pudding in New Orleans has undergone significant changes, reflecting the city’s evolving cultural and culinary landscape. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, bread pudding was a staple dessert in many New Orleans restaurants, particularly those serving Creole cuisine.
However, with the rise of modern desserts like cakes, pies, and ice cream, bread pudding’s popularity began to wane. By the mid-20th century, bread pudding had become a relic of the past, relegated to the menus of a few traditional Creole restaurants.
In the 1980s and 1990s, a culinary renaissance swept through New Orleans, as chefs and restaurateurs sought to revive the city’s traditional Creole cuisine. Bread pudding, with its rich history and cultural significance, was at the forefront of this revival. Chefs like Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse popularized bread pudding through their cookbooks and television shows, introducing the dessert to a new generation of foodies. At the same time, restaurants like Dooky Chase’s Restaurant and Cafe Maspero began serving innovative bread pudding dishes, featuring ingredients like bourbon, pecans, and chocolate.
New Orleans-style bread pudding is distinct from other versions of the dish due to its use of French bread and a blend of spices and ingredients that reflect the city’s cultural heritage. The bread pudding is often made with a combination of white and brown sugar, which gives it a rich, caramel-like flavor. Additionally, the use of eggs, butter, and cream adds moisture and a velvety texture to the dish.
Another key ingredient in New Orleans-style bread pudding is the use of bourbon or other types of liquor, which adds a depth of flavor and a slightly boozy kick. Some recipes also include nuts, dried fruit, or other mix-ins, which add texture and flavor to the dish. Overall, the combination of ingredients and spices in New Orleans-style bread pudding makes it a truly unique and delicious dessert.
Bread Pudding – Recipe
Adapted by John Coletta
Yields 8 servings
Ingredients
- 30g. Butter; Unsalted; Room Temperature; Soft
- 350g. 2-day old French bread; Cubed
- 500ml. Heavy Cream; 40% Butter Fat
- 1ltr. Milk; Whole; Pasteurized or Raw
- 6 Eggs; Extra large
- 400g. Sugar; Brown; Granulated
- 20ml. Vanilla Extract
- 8g. Cinnamon; Powder; Vietnamese
- 6g. Nutmeg; Fine Grind
- 2g. Salt; Sea; Fine Grind
- 50g. Raisins; Dark
- 50g. Raisins; Yellow
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175-Degrees C
- Gather a 20 x 33 centimeter baking pan. Utilizing a pastry brush, liberally spread the baking pan with the butter.
- Place the bread cubes in a large non-reactive bowl.
- In another non-reactive bowl add the cream, milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and raisins. Stir to combine and then pour over the bread cubes. Allow to sit at room temperature for 60-minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to the butter prepared pan and bake until the center of the pudding is set, 50 to 60 minutes.
Rum or Bourbon Sauce
Ingredients
- 500ml. Heavy Cream; 40% Butter Fat
- 250ml. Milk; Whole; Pasteurized or Raw
- 100g. Sugar; Granulated
- 30g. Cornstarch
- 100ml. Rum or Bourbon
- 2g. Salt; Sea; Fine Grind
- 30g. Butter; Unsalted
- 100ml. Rum or Bourbon
- 60g. Sugar; Confectioner’s
- 8 Vanilla Ice Cream; Scoops
- 80g. Pecans; Toasted
Instructions
- Place a heavy bottom 2-liter saucepan over a low heat. Add the heavy cream, milk, and sugar.
- Place the cornstarch and rum or bourbon in a small bowl and whisk into a slurry.
- Pour the slurry into the cream sauce and bring to a boil. Once the sauce boils, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
- Remove the sauce from heat. Stir in the salt, butter, and remaining rum.
- Strain thru a fine mesh strainer and transfer to an appropriate serving vessel.
- Divide the cooked bread pudding into 8-equal serving portions and transfer onto an appropriate serving vessel. Dust liberally with the confectioner’s sugar, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, toasted pecans and serve with the Rum or Bourbon Sauce.
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