Best French Toast Bread Pudding With Spiced Pears Recipes

FRENCH TOAST BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Arrange the bread in two layers in a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish, cutting the bread to fit the dish. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, honey, orange zest, vanilla, and salt. Pour the mixture over the bread and press the bread down. Allow to soak for 10 minutes.
• Place the baking dish in a larger roasting pan and add enough very hot tap water to the roasting pan to come an inch up the side of the baking dish. Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil, tenting it so the foil doesn't touch the pudding. Make two slashes in the foil to allow steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes, remove the aluminum foil, and bake for another 40 to 45 minutes, until the pudding puffs up and the custard is set. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.
• With a small sieve, dust lightly with confectioners' sugar and serve hot in squares with maple syrup on the side.

PRALINE FRENCH TOAST BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• 1. Generously butter a rectangular baking dish (13 x 9 x 2 1/2 inches); use the prettiest one you have. Set out a large shallow pan for the water bath. Cut the bread across into 3/4-inch-thick slices. If you are not using a braided bread, cut slices into four triangles each. Arrange bread slices in rows, leaning and overlapping them, if necessary.
• 2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs on high until light golden and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Beat in the cream, milk, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg. Pour over the bread in the dish, lifting the bread up slightly to pour between the slices and letting the custard soak in (this is important; see The Junior's Way).
• 3. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, combine all praline topping ingredients, except syrup. Using your hands, spread the mixture over the top of the soaked challah, pushing some down between the slices. Cover the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
• 4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap and drizzle the maple syrup over the top. Place the dish in the center of a larger pan. Pour hot water into the pan until it comes 1 inch up the side of the baking dish. Bake until the pudding is puffy, souffléd, and golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes (don't let it overbake or get too brown). Touch it: The top should be spongy, not dry or crusty. The bread pudding is best served piping hot, right out of the oven.

PEAR BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Mix in the butter and 1 tablespoon of vanilla just until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1 cup white sugar, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, pear brandy and salt.
• Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with a layer of bread. Top with a layer of pear. Pour about 1/4 of the custard over the layers followed by about 1/3 of the heavy cream. Sprinkle with some of the crumb topping. Repeat layers until you are out of ingredients, ending with the crumb topping on top. Press down on the layers as needed to help them absorb the liquid. Cover the pan with parchment paper then seal with aluminum foil. Place another baking pan on top or two dinner plates to keep it from puffing while it bakes.
• Place the pudding onto a larger pan or cookie sheet with sides. Pour boiling water into the bottom pan until it is half way full.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking for 25 minutes. Pudding is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

PEAR AND ALMOND FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Evenly distribute the butter cubes into the bottom of a 10x14-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter. Arrange the pear slices into the bottom of the dish. Arrange the bread cubes into a single layer over the pears.
• Mix the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract together in a bowl until fully blended; pour evenly over the bread cubes, assuring all pieces are evenly covered. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and chill overnight in refrigerator.
• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and allow to warm while the oven preheats.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top of the bread is golden brown and the eggs have solidified, 45 to 60 minutes. Top with the sliced almonds to serve.

FRENCH TOAST BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Butter an 8-inch square baking dish; line bottom with 4 slices bread. Sprinkle with half of each cheese. Top with chives. Layer with remaining bread and cheese.
• Whisk together eggs, milk, melted butter, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture into baking dish. Cover; refrigerate at least 6 hours (or overnight).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake bread pudding until puffed and golden, about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

PEAR-STUFFED FRENCH VANILLA TOAST

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and butter. Spread onto bottom of a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Layer with pear, raisins, bread cubes and pecans., In a large bowl, whisk eggs, ice cream, cinnamon and vanilla until blended; pour over top. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 350°. Remove casserole from refrigerator while oven heats. Bake, uncovered, 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

PEAR BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 10-by-2-inch round ovenproof glass dish with plastic wrap. Thinly slice pear quarters lengthwise, but don't separate slices. Arrange in an attractive pattern on pan bottom. Place bread slices in two overlapping layers on top.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream, eggs, brown sugar, coriander, and salt. Pour over bread slices.?
• Place baking dish in a pan filled with enough boiling water to reach halfway up sides of dish. Cover pan with foil; bake for 1 hour.
• Cool completely and unmold pudding onto a serving plate. Discard plastic wrap. Refrigerate pudding until ready to serve.
• To make Caramel Sauce, heat sugar and lemon juice in a heavy, medium saucepan over low heat until mixture turns deep amber. Carefully stir in milk and pear-poaching liquid; boil for 1 minute, until smooth. Strain and use immediately.
• To serve pudding, cut into slices, inserting Bartlett pear slices between each pudding slice. Serve with Caramel Sauce.

FRENCH TOAST BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Butter 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish.
• Place bread in dish.
• Whisk eggs and next 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend; pour over bread.
• Using spatula, lightly press down on bread to moisten completely.
• Cover with foil and chill overnight.
• Place foil-covered dish in cold oven.
• Set oven at 350°F and bake 30 minutes.
• Remove foil and continue to bake until pudding is puffed and golden brown, about 35 minutes longer.
• Spoon pudding onto plates, sprinkle with toasted nuts, and serve with warm maple syrup.