One Person’s Trash is Another’s Nutella Bread Pudding
When eating out, I am notorious for bringing home every piece of uneaten food. I’ve asked waiters to wrap cranberry compote (what else will go with leftover pumpkin pancakes?) and the bread basket. This weekend, I took home leftover bread cubes from the fondue at Artisanal. If you’re paying for quality, why let it go to waste?
Laugh all you want, but if you threw that bread in the trash, you would have missed out on Nutella bread pudding. It’s like baked French toast with swirls of chocolate. Bread pudding is perfect for stale artisanal bread, the kind that’s marked 50% off at the end of the day (although white sandwich bread will do). Hot out of the oven, you get the contrast of a jiggly, spongy bottom and a crunchy, crouton-like top. Bread pudding is also divine cold, in a cold pizza/morning hangover type of way. Not that I would know.
In New Orleans, my friend Erik spent a grueling night scrubbing burnt bread and custard off a pan because we didn’t use a water bath. At the risk of offending Erik, I never use a water bath for bread pudding at home. I like the crusty edges.
Not only is this recipe a delicious way to clean out your pantry (I used soy milk and leftover Nutella babka), but it’s low in fat, too.
Nutella Bread Pudding
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse and Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich
Oil, for greasing pan
1/4 cup Nutella
8 slices day-old crusty bread or Nutella babka (about 4 cups when cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups milk (soy is fine)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease an 8 by 8-inch square pan with oil.
Spread Nutella on four slices of bread and top with remaining pieces of bread. Cut the sandwiches into 1/2-inch cubes.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla until very smooth. Stir in milk and add the bread. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake until the pudding is set in the center, about 55 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Slather the top with more Nutella, if desired. Bread pudding is best hot out of the oven, or refrigerated after a day. Microwaving it makes it rubbery.
Gigi said,
I agree, there is no way I’m throwing out bread. It has so many uses after it has “expired” (bread pudding, croutons & bread crumbs). Lovely photos and thanks for a great bread pudding recipe!
February 20, 2008 at 1:37 am
niko said,
You’re shameless! Now, can I have some of that bread pudding!!!! I may be laughing but I am also drooling.
🙂
February 20, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Jessica "Su Good Sweets" said,
I’m sorry Niko, but I ate all the bread pudding.
February 23, 2008 at 12:36 am
Indigo said,
I actually tried bread pudding for the very first time yesterday – but it didn’t look as good as this X__X Ah well.
Oh, psst, you’ve been awarded!
http://happylovestrawberry.blogspot.com/2008/02/truly-great-pairing.html
February 21, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Gina said,
Literally killing me with all of the nutella recipes. Have you ever had just a purely chocolate bread pudding recipe? simply decadent. i think this bread pudding shall go on my list of things to make …
February 22, 2008 at 2:08 am
Michelle said,
Good for you! The amount of food that gets thrown out in this country is a little scary. And bread pudding is my absolute favorite. So yummy and out of the most simple ingredients…
February 22, 2008 at 10:53 am
Beth said,
Hi Jessica! Hope all is well with you. I hope you don’t mind, but I tagged you for a meme. Check out my blog to see the meme (cookiepiebklyn.blogspot.com) — then post your answers and tag some more people. Have fun!
February 26, 2008 at 11:44 am
Cakespy said,
This is lovely. You didn’t save any to air ship me? Actually, shipping bread pudding is probably a very bad idea. Even if it looks this good! Yum, Jessica!
February 28, 2008 at 11:13 am
White On Rice Couple said,
Pudding with nutella sounds fabulous! I wonder how a nice pudding with nutella would be like? Could you make us a batch, please? 🙂
BTW- our first cooking video is up!
February 28, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Jen said,
Big props for making it out of leftover fondue bread cubes!
April 7, 2008 at 2:20 pm
charlotte said,
Um, next time we go to Artisanal, I’m going back home with you.
April 14, 2008 at 3:00 pm