Alternatives to yeast bread in bread pudding
I wan to make a bread pudding this weekend and don't feel like using and making yeast bread, for various reasons. I searched online and found a recipe using soda bread, but I'm not convinced that will be nice.
Has anyone used anything other than a yeast bread for bread pudding? I will be making it from scratch. Time/difficulty isn't a factor.
Any suggestions are welcome!!!
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I believe panettone was referenced earlier, but dismissed as 'too sweet" (or perhaps you were referring to the donuts?). A good Italian-recipe panettone should not be too sweet, unless it has been adapted for NA tastes.
In any case, this is my 'go to' for bread pudding whenever I see it in the market, especially when it is on sale because of looming 'best before' date issues. I have made panettone in my bread-maker, too....but frankly, the supermarket ones with citron/raisin, not chocolate, are super for bread pudding. Just cut into chunks and either oven or air stale (depending on the degree of your love affair with Cook's Illustrated) and drench with the custard as usual...I do believe in letting the bread/cake soak for at least an hour before baking and using a bain marie, but I am fussy about bread pudding. I also pour on whiskey sauce if the pudding is for a special meal.
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I love the sound of corn bread pudding.
Another option is to make yeasted bread that doesn't take a long time. My new favourite is a no-knead recipe that goes from start to baked in about 4 hours.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/21/din... -
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The mention of something being "too sweet" to use in bread pudding: Just use less sweetener in the custard mixture. I've made BP with everything from Wonder Bread to Danishes and it's just a question of total sweetness, not just what's in the bread product. Corn bread would be fine...I keep thinking about it with a custard that has Grand Marnier in it, corn and orange seem to work well togethr. Or studded w/ blueberries or raspberries....
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I make about 60 muffins every week for the girls in my dorm, but sometimes the amounts vary, and when there are too many to eat, I make some sort of egg/flax/chia/almond milk/regular milk/yogurt/buttermilk/sugar/whatever is around mixture and go for it. The one thing I'd recommend is making sure you thoroughly soak your bread before baking it. Then, store in the fridge for a cool breakfasty treat (one of my favorites in the summer, if I can deal with turning the oven on).
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greygarious
Sep 23, 2012 06:27 PM
Cooks Illustrated points out that oven-drying the cubed bread or cake or pastry you are using is preferable to staling it. The reason is that when baked goods stale, they crystallize, which traps much of the water they contain. When later heated, the crystals dissolve, releasing the moisture.
This is why you can revive bread that is a few days old by microwaving or oven-heating. But when you dry fresh bread pieces in the oven, the water evaporates rather than becoming trapped. The bread, being drier, can absorb more of the custard, and the bread pudding will also be crunchier at the top.›1 Reply-
re: greygarious
jmcarthur8
Sep 23, 2012 07:24 PM
That is really interesting! I had no idea about the physics of dry bread. It explains a bit about the nature of cubed bread stuffing, then too. Thanks!
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jmcarthur8
Sep 23, 2012 01:59 PM
I made bread pudding last week with a pumpkin bundt cake that had come out too dry. I added some raisins in, too. It was excellent. Served it with almond whipped cream.
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Emme
Sep 11, 2012 08:53 PM
a few weeks ago, i had some leftover carrot cake. i did a bread pudding with buttermilk in the custard. it was a nice compliment. i also served it with a cream cheese creme anglaise.
i've also used banana bread, pumpkin bread (as suggested above as well), buttermilk biscuits, cakey brownies, and though i hate to admit it... i made it once with chopped granola bars...
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re: Emme
I really like the idea of something quick and easy like biscuits. And the pumpkin bread was a nice idea, too. Glad to hear they have worked successfully! I was also thinking I might do a simple quick bread, using club soda, perhaps, instead of beer in a beer bread. (And sweeten it up a bit). Or apple cider.
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re: ls150
Sooeygun
Sep 13, 2012 06:12 AM
This won't necessarily help you now, but danishes make good bread pudding. You end up with little surprises of whatever filling was in the danishes. Mr S worked at a hotel that used their day old danishes, croissant, cinnamon buns, etc to make bread pudding for the dessert buffet. doesn't work for a menu item, because of the inconsistency (every serving's different). I've picked up day old pastries just to make it at home.
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team_cake
Sep 11, 2012 07:30 PM
Pound cake and/or angel food cake can work well, especially with a lighter fruit like berries. I wouldn't use ALL angel food cake because it's so light, and might just get goopy once in the custard. Pound cake gives bread pudding a nice texture for sweet puddings, imo -- but I'm a pound cake fan, regardless! You might try slicing day old berry muffins, and then using those.
I second the idea of cornbread for a savory bread pudding, but I'd still make sure it's day old or toasted lightly in the oven before putting it in a custard, so it will have a decent amount of body even when soaked in custard. I like my bread puddings to have creaminess and texture from the bread or cake.
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Did it with donuts once, don't recommend it. But the one I made at holiday time with store-bought panettone was great.
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todao
Sep 11, 2012 06:38 PM
Stale cake works nicely; or any quick bread made with baking powder instead of yeast. Left over scones, biscuits, etc .....
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