Description
This delicious bread pudding casserole is perfect for breakfast or dessert, featuring Italian or French bread soaked in a rich custard and topped with a sweet glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces Italian bread or French bread (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (for greasing pan)
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups half and half (or whole milk or cream)
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
- 2 tablespoons milk (or cream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- dash of salt
Instructions
- To Dry Out Bread: Cube 16 ounces of bread into 1-inch cubes. Spread the bread cubes out onto a large sheet pan and allow the bread to dry out at room temperature for 4-12 hours. If time does not permit, dry the bread quickly in a 300℉ oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter and place the cubed, dried-out bread inside the casserole dish in an even layer.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk 6 eggs with 2 cups of half and half, ¼ cup maple syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla, ⅛ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg until well combined.
- Pour the egg mixture over the cubed bread in the buttered casserole dish, gently tapping the bread down with your hands so that it is fully submerged in the custard. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 18 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350℉. Remove the casserole from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature as the oven preheats.
- Once the oven has preheated, remove the plastic wrap and cover the baking dish with foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until set.
- While the casserole is baking prepare the glaze. Combine 2 tablespoons of milk with a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a medium mixing bowl. Add 2 cups of sifted powdered sugar to the bowl and whisk until a thin glaze forms. Add in more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed to thin it out.
- Drizzle the glaze over the baked casserole and serve.
Notes
- For best results, allow the bread to dry out adequately before soaking them in the custard.
- This recipe can be prepared a day ahead and baked the next morning for a convenient breakfast option.
- Prep Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 180mg