Blueberry bread pudding with seasonal summer peaches. Toasted pieces of brioche soak in a sweet cream then are topped with the fruit.
ingredient
- 16 ounce brioche loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 4 large yolks
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 medium yellow peaches, cut into ¼-inch slices with skin on
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon rum, optional
- ¾ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
Directions
- Set the oven rack to the center position and preheat to 300ºF (149ºC).
- Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes.
- Spread the bread on a large sheet pan or two smaller pans. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through toasting. The bread should be lightly golden, dry and crisp. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes.
- Increase the oven temperature to 350ºF (177ºC).
- Grease a 3-quart or 9x13 baking dish with 1 tablespoon softened butter.
- In a large heavy-bottom saucepan bring milk, cream, and sugar to a low simmer over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, do not heat over 120ºF (49ºC). The milk should be warm and not hot when touched.
- Turn off the heat and stir in vanilla. Remove the pan from heat and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, and salt. Very slowly, pour a ½ cup of the warm cream mixture into the eggs, whisking continuously. Add in another ½ cup, whisking between each addition until a total of 2 cups have been added. This is the tempered egg mixture.
- While whisking the milk mixture, pour the tempered eggs into the saucepan and whisk to thoroughly incorporate.
- In a large bowl add the toasted bread. Pour the custard over the bread, stir a few times to gently coat and allow to sit and absorb most of the liquid for 45 to 60 minutes. Stir the bread halfway through.
- Meanwhile, make the peach mixture. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the rum and stir to combine.
- Add peaches and cook 3 to 4 minutes to release juices and allow the sugar to become syrupy. Make sure the peaches are still tender and not overcooked.
- Stir the bread and custard mixture very gently to make sure the custard is absorbed.
- Gently stir in about half of the peaches, just enough to swirl in the peaches and syrup. Reserve the remainder for the topping on the pudding. Keep the bread intact and now break down the peaches.
- Pour the pudding into the baking dish and evenly spread out the mixture.
- Evenly scatter the remainder of the peach mixture on top, and then gently swirl to spread out some of the syrup.
- Add the blueberries and gently press down into the bread pudding.
- Place the baking dish in a large roasting pan. Place both pans in the oven and pour in enough hot water into the roasting pan to create a water bath, about halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
- Bake until the pudding just appears set in the center when the baking dish is gently shaken and the temperature reaches 170ºF (77ºC), about 40 to 60 minutes.
- Carefully, remove the roasting pan from the oven and then remove the casserole dish from the roasting pan.
- Allow the pudding to cool for 60 minutes before serving, so it’s easier to cut.
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