Croissant Bread Pudding with Espresso Crème Anglaise
My croissant bread pudding is the perfect marriage of crispy, buttery croissants with a creamy, custardy interior. If I had to describe it in one word: indulgent! Be sure to make the easy espresso crème anglaise (French coffee dessert sauce) to drizzle on top. An extra special dessert for holidays or just because!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 594kcal
Video
Equipment
9x13 oval or rectangular baking dish or similar size bakeware that has a 2.5-3-qt capacity
Butter for greasing pan (or nonstick baking spray)
Ingredients
For the Creme Anglaise
- 1½ cups (355ml) heavy cream
- 1 vanilla bean split down the center and seeds scraped out OR 1 tsp pure vanilla bean paste
- 4 large (60g) egg yolks, room temperature
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp DeLallo instant espresso powder
For the Croissant Bread Pudding
- 8 large day-old croissants, ripped into 2-inch pieces
- 1¼ cups (300ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (236ml) whole milk
- 6 large (300g) eggs, room temperature
- 2 large (30g) egg yolks, room temperature
- 2 Tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of Kosher salt
Instructions
- Make the crème anglaise (custard sauce). Place 1½ cups (355ml) of heavy cream in a medium saucepan, then add seeds from 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste) and stir. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cooking for about 3-5 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Temper the eggs, then finish the sauce. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 4 large (60g) egg yolks, ¼ cup (50g) sugar, and 1 tsp DeLallo instant espresso powder for 2-3 minutes. Temper the eggs by adding a couple spoonfuls of the warm cream mixture to the bowl, whisking continuously the entire time to ensure the eggs don’t curdle. Once tempered, use a spatula to scrape the egg and sugar mixture into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously with the spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to boil the mixture.
- Strain, then chill. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Cover tightly, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Can be made up to 2 days in advance.
- Prepare the pan. Butter or grease a large baking dish. Arrange the croissant pieces in the baking dish.
- Make the custard. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1¼ cups (300ml) heavy cream, 1 cup (236ml) whole milk, 6 large (300g) eggs, 2 (30g) egg yolks, 2 Tbsp (28g) melted butter, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and a pinch of Kosher salt.
- Assemble, then let sit. Pour the custard mixture on top of the croissants, then gently stir to ensure they’re evenly submerged. Allow this to sit for 20 minutes before baking. When ready, preheat an oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack set in the center position.
- Bake, then serve. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the custard is fully set and the edges of the croissants have crisped up and browned. Cool slightly, then serve warm with chilled crème anglaise drizzled on top.
Notes
- Make ahead: Prep the custard up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate. Assemble and bake just before serving (don’t soak overnight or you’ll lose the crisp top).
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze bread pudding (not the crème anglaise) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 594kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 347mg | Sodium: 282mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1864IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @wellseasonedstudio and hashtag it #wellseasonedstudio!
