Dessert Surveillance

Boucherie New Orleans’ Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding / Photo Courtesy of Bourcherie New Orleans

Bread Pudding gets my vote for “Dessert Chameleon.” This indulgent treat varies dramatically depending on add-ins. At its simplest, Bread Pudding consists of stale (or dried-out) bread combined with milk and eggs. But here’s where it gets interesting. When you add other ingredients—like white chocolate (my personal favorite, but I digress), fruit, chocolate, nuts, liquor, and sauces—the flavor, texture, and character of the Pudding is greatly enhanced. 

Bien Cuit’s Coffee Bread Pudding / Photo Courtesy of Bien Cuit

And it’s the adaptability of Bread Pudding that adds to its appeal. Rosetta Sellers, of New York’s Bien Cuit Bakery, noted that she wouldn’t be surprised if more people weren’t making/enjoying this treat. “It’s a classic dessert whose versatility allows you to relish it in various flavors. We typically offer one variety of Bread Pudding at a time and change the recipe 2-3 times a year.” Bien Cuit’s varieties have included Bourbon Pear Bread Pudding, Croissant Bread Pudding, Tropical Winter Bread Pudding, Coffee Bread Pudding, and the current offering as of this post, Cherry Star Anise.  (I never thought of baking with ice cream, but Bien Cuit’s Coffee Bread Pudding is made with, you guessed it, Coffee Ice Cream.)

Bourbon-Whiskey-Caramel-Donut-Bread-Pudding from Angel Food Bakery + Donut Bar / Photo Courtesy of Angel Food Bakery + Donut Bar

Restaurants have plenty of other reasons to be Bread Pudding fans. This tasty treat is restaurant kitchen-friendly, as it can be prepared in advance, baked in a large pan or individual dishes, and served hot or cold. Better yet, it’s a very cost-effective dessert as its base is leftover, stale bread (or even cake). 

Years ago, United Airlines passengers (on select flights) could opt for Banana Bread Pudding for breakfast. The base, Banana Bread with butterscotch chips, was added to a vanilla egg custard and livened up with oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sounds way too decadent for breakfast? Since Chobani was involved, vanilla Greek yogurt stood in for heavy cream. (I generally prefer not to squander my sugar allotment early in the morning, but I digress.) 

Adding to the list of no longer available Bread Puddings: Kozy Shack, the purveyor of puddings and custards found in supermarket refrigerated cases, offered three types: Apple Cinnamon, Cinnamon Raisin, and Peach.

Let’s briefly touch on the history of Bread Pudding. According to an article in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, “Bread Pudding originated in Europe and was considered a poor man’s food because it was prepared using stale bread, water, sugar, and spices. One theory is its introduction to the United States came by way of Louisiana’s Creole Cuisine, which embodies a variety of culinary influences…”

Boucherie New Orleans Restaurant (home of the Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding) / Photo Courtesy of Boucherie New Orleans

And New Orleans is certainly no stranger to Bread Puddings. While Pudding varieties abound, chefs often incorporate local ingredients like pecans and French bread, and to add a little kick, they might top the Puddings with sauces spiked with bourbon or rum. Boucherie New Orleans’ Bread Pudding is the “Krispy Kreme.” According to Boucherie’s Sara Roberts, Krispy Kreme is the most popular dessert. It’s been on the menu since day one and is the dessert served at most of the restaurant’s catered events. When I asked if Boucherie planned to add to its Bread Pudding line-up, Sara said the chef likes to say, “Don’t fix what isn’t broken.”

Minneapolis Airport Location of Angel Food Bakery + Donut Bar (home of the Bourbon-Whiskey-Caramel-Donut-Bread Pudding) / Photo Courtesy of Angel Food Bakery + Donut Bar

This anecdote from Cynthia Gerdes, who owns Angel Food Bakery + Donut Bar in Minneapolis, along with her daughter, Katy, illustrates not just the adaptability of Bread Pudding but the need to think on your feet!  

“Way back in 2012, when we opened, Angel Food Bakery + Donut Bar almost instantly got a ton of press because our bakers always make their magic in an open kitchen where customers could actually sit and watch them in action.

The Cooking Channel called and sent out a camera crew from NYC for their Unique Sweets show. Toward the end of the filming, the producer said, ‘OK, Katy…now we want to shoot you making your signature item, and then we’ll be done.’

Katy whipped her head around and said, ‘But we just opened the shop a few weeks ago with lines out the doors…there hasn’t been enough time for me to create a signature item yet.’ Needless to say, the producer wasn’t happy, so Katy blew through the bakery counter, grabbing a few donuts, some other pastries, this’ n that, and created this Bourbon-Whiskey-Caramel-Donut-Bread-Pudding-Loaf on the spot. That’s why the name is so long (it really does have all of these ingredients), and believe it or not, after that segment aired, it DID become our best-seller…”

Bien Cuit’s Croissant Bread Pudding (Sharing the Plate with a Salted Caramel Cake) / Photo Courtesy of Bien Cuit

Let’s hear it for Bread Puddings, one of the most versatile (not to mention tasty) desserts!