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    Home » Creole Recipes

    New Orleans Bread Pudding with Cane Syrup Rum Sauce

    Published: Nov 6, 2019 · Modified: Nov 20, 2021 · By: Sweet Daddy D · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

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    Bread Pudding is the classic New Orleans dessert. Creole and Cajun cooks, known for their frugality couldn’t let stale french bread go to waste, so owing back to their European origins, soaking it in a custard made of milk, eggs and spices then baking it to perfection was only natural. Bread Pudding is the treat after a fine meal at one of New Orleans's classic Creole restaurants or any of the fabulous neighborhood eateries in New Orleans and South Louisiana.  Try some of Sweet Daddy D’s Bread Pudding with Cane Syrup Rum Sauce, a New Orleans style Bread Pudding topped with a sweet sauce made from Louisiana staples, you’ll see what the fuss is all about.

    bread pudding with cane syrup sauce topped with pecans in a white bowl with green trim
    New Orleans Bread Pudding with Cane Syrup Rum Sauce

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    What is New Orleans French Bread?

    The ideal bread pudding, in my humble opinion, is made with leftover, day (or more)-old New Orleans French Bread. If you have ever been to New Orleans and had a Po-Boy, you know that New Orleans French Bread is a thing unlike any other French Bread or any other bread, for that matter. Most french bread has a little heft to it and the crust is solid but not crunchy with a dense inside. New Orleans French Bread is unique for its crispy crust and tender, almost melt in your mouth insides.  New Orleans French Bread contains very little fat or sugar and no preservatives, which means it does not stay fresh very long, no more than a day. It’s difficult at best and nearly impossible to get authentic New Orleans french bread anywhere outside of New Orleans. 

    What If I can’t get New Orleans French Bread?

    No worries, just about any bread will do for this Bread Pudding. You need something that will stand up to being soaked in the custard for a while, so dense bread works well, I’ve even seen bread pudding made with donuts and cinnamon rolls.  If you don’t have leftover french bread, use any crusty bread like baguettes, brioche or challah. Actually, just about any type of bread will do, even stale white sandwich bread-just be mindful that whatever flavors are baked into the bread will also come out in your bread pudding, so using a bread you like is always good. Generally, bread pudding is sweet, so I’d avoid bread that has rye seeds, onion, garlic or other similar savory flavors.    

    Here’s What You Need

    For the Bread Pudding

    • French bread or an available substitute.
    • Dairy:  Whole milk, heavy cream, butter and eggs. Note that the butter needs to be melted and out of the 6 eggs needed, 2 need to be separated as you will only use the yolks of those. 
    • Sweetness: Dark Brown Sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, real Vanilla Extract and a pinch of salt.
    • Optional: Sweet Daddy D's Glazed Pecans with Rum and Cane Syrup and raisins.

      french bread, milk, cream, butter, eggs and spices for bread pudding
      Here's what you need for the bread pudding!

    For the Cane Syrup Rum Sauce 

    • Dairy: Butter, heavy cream
    • Sweetness: Cane syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt
    • Other Stuff: Cornstarch, hot water and Dark Rum

      cane syrup, rum, cream, butter and spices for cane syrup rum sauce
      Here's what you need for the Cane Syrup Rum Sauce

    For the Glazed Pecans with Rum and Cane Syrup (Optional) 

    If you decide to use the Glazed Pecans, here is the recipe, but I've listed the ingredients so you have the information:

    • Louisiana pecans
    • Dark or Amber rum
    • Louisiana Cane Syrup
    • Butter
    Glazed Pecans with Rum and Cane Syrup
    These pecans, spiced and glazed with cane syrup and rum, will rev-up anything you add them to and will be the rave of your holiday gatherings.
    Glazed pecans with rum and cane syrup

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    These will come in handy making this recipe:

     Here’s What You Do

    First...you have a beer. The whole thing is really simple. You’ll be making the pudding and the sauce and if you choose to use the pecans, that makes three processes that have to come together, so some mise en place will get you organized. Have a beer and read through the recipes to plan it out. The recipe for the Marinaded Pecans makes more than you need here so they can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container so you can nibble on them and they’re ready when you are.  

    Preparing the Bread Pudding ingredients 

    This part is quite simple but makes the process go much smoother if you do it first. Prepare a  2-quart baking dish (or a 9 x 13 pyrex dish) by coating the inside with butter.

    buttered white baking dish
    Prepare the baking dish with some butter

    Break, tear or cut the bread into about ½ to 1-inch pieces and set that aside in a mixing bowl. Separate the yolks of two eggs and place them in another large mixing bowl.  In separate small bowls, measure out the cinnamon, vanilla extract, dark brown sugar (make sure to pack the measuring cup), milk and heavy cream and grate the nutmeg (grate enough nutmeg for the sauce while you’re at it). Melt the butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

    pieces of french bread, milk, cream, eggs, butter and spices for bread pudding
    Bread Pudding ingredients all ready to go

    Prepping the sauce ingredients

    Measure the butter, cane syrup, heavy cream and rum in separate vessels. Measure the cinnamon and grated nutmeg into a small bowl. Measure the cornstarch but don’t mix it with the hot water until you are ready to add it to the sauce.

    rum, crean, cane syrup, butterand spices for cnae syrup rum sauce
    Everything is ready for the Cane Syrup Rum Sauce

    Make the custard

    Add 4 whole eggs to the mixing bowl with the egg yolks and whip vigorously with a whisk until they are as creamy as possible.

    whisking eggs in a clear bowl for bread pudding
    Whisk the eggs until smooth

    Next, whisk in the dark brown sugar, the melted butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt.

    dark brown sugar added to whisked eggs in a clear glass bowl for bread pudding
    Add the dark brown sugar
    melted butter being poured into eggs and sugar in a clear glass bowl for bread pudding
    Whisk in the melted butter
    vanilla extract and spices being added to an egg mixture in a clear glass bowl for bread pudding
    Next comes the spices
    whisked eggs, brown sugar, butter and spices mixed in a clear glass bowl with a whisk for bread pudding
    Whisk it together

    Once all of that is incorporated, slowly pour the whole milk and heavy cream into the mixing bowl while continuing to whisk it thoroughly.

    pouring whole milk into a clear glass bowl full of egg and spice mixture for bread pudding
    Pour in the whole milk
    pouring heavy cream into a clear glass bowl filled with egg mixture and milk for bread pudding
    Heavy Cream!

    Soak the bread in the custard

    Pour the egg custard mix over the broken bread pieces in the mixing bowl and press down using your so that all the bread is covered with the custard mix. Mix well with your hands, slightly squeezing the bread to mix in the custard thoroughly and crush any large pieces of bread.

    pouring custard mix over french bread in a clear glass bowl for bread pudding
    Pour the custard over the bread
    bread pieces soaking in custard in a clear glass bowl for bread pudding
    Let the bread soak in the custard

    Allow this to sit at least 30 minutes (longer is good too) as the bread absorbs the custard. After 30 minutes, mix about ¾ cup of the Glazed Pecans into the soaked bread, if you are using them.

    Make the Bread Pudding

    Pour all of the custard-soaked bread into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly throughout. 

    bread pudding ready for the oven in a prepared baking dish
    Ready for the oven

    Place the baking dish into the preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Once the bread pudding is done, remove it from the oven to cool while you make the sauce.

    bread pudding right from the oven in a white baking dish
    Fresh from the oven

    Prepare the Cane Syrup Rum Sauce

    Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the cane syrup and whisk continuously until it is completely integrated with the butter.

    cane syrup being added to melted butter ina sauce pan for cane syrup rum sauce for bread pudding
    Combine cane syrup with the melted butter
    spices and vanilla extract being added to the butter and cane syrup in a sauce pan for cane syrup rum sauce
    Add the spices and vanilla

    Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, salt and mix well.

    Add the heavy cream and the rum and bring the mixture to a simmer.

    pouring heavy cream into the sauce pan for cane sugar rum sauce
    Stir in the heavy cream
    pouring rum into sauce pan with cane syrup rum ingredients
    Add the rum
    adding cornstarch paste to sauce pan with cane syrup rum sauce ingredients
    Mix the cornstarch and add it

    Combine the cornstarch with HOT water to make a paste and add this to the sauce. Mix completely and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes while it thickens.

    cane syrup rum sauce on a spoon in a sauce pan
    Sauce, thickened and smooth

    To serve

    The Bread Pudding can be served warm, at room temperature or cold from the refrigerator. When ready to serve, place some Bread Pudding on a small plate or bowl, then spoon some sauce on top. Sprinkle a few marinated pecans on top, if desired. 

    bread pudding with cane syrup rum sauce and glazed pecans with vanilla ice cream in a bowl with green trim
    New Orleans Bread Pudding with Cane Syrup Rum Sauce and some vanilla ice cream!

    Enjoy, it’s as simple as that.

    Hints and Tips

    • Can anything be made in advance? Yes! You certainly can make the Glazed Pecans day or two in advance and store them in an airtight container. Also, the bread pudding can be made the day before (I do not recommend making it more than 1 day in advance). When you have poured the bread pudding into the prepared baking dish, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Make sure it is airtight, then store it in the refrigerator overnight. Prior to baking, let the bread pudding reach room temperature, then bake as directed. See the Hint below about refrigeration and freezing the leftovers. It is possible to make the Cane Syrup Rum Sauce in advance, but I'd do that only if necessary, but if you do, airtight for the fridge, then warm it slowly in the microwave.
    • Cane syrup or molasses can be substituted for dark brown sugar (¾ cup of Cane Syrup for 1 cup of dark brown sugar). Light brown sugar is also good to use. Brown sugar contains molasses, which is similar to Cane syrup, but not the same thing. Molasses is a by-product of the sugar-making process, while cane syrup is made directly from sugar cane juice.
    • Here's a note on the french bread I used in this recipe. It's Reising's French Bread made by Leidenheimer Baking Co, which has been baking New Orleans French Bread for over 100 years. If you live in New Orleans you can find Liedenhiemer or Reisings just about anywhere. This Reising's product is perfect for shipping away from New Orleans. I'm sure it has a few more preservatives than you would find in the local New Orleans market. If you use it for Po-boys, heat it for about 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven, wrapped in aluminum foil. It will be the closest thing you find to New Orleans French Bread outside of New Orleans!
    • How do you know when the bread pudding is ready? Pretty much the way you do when baking a cake, stick a clean knife or a wooden skewer into the bread pudding and if it comes out clean, it’s done. If the knife comes out with some pudding stuck to it, leave it in for a little while longer.
    • Can bread pudding be put in the refrigerator or freezer? Bread pudding can be served warm, room temperature or cold. If you are not going to eat it right away, let it cool down from baking, then stick it in the fridge-it should not be allowed to stay out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. It will be good in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days but will start to dry out after 2 days. It can also be frozen for about 2 months. Don’t pour the sauce on the bread pudding before you refrigerate or freeze, do that before you serve it. It’s important to remember that when refrigerating or freezing, make sure to wrap or cover it in an airtight container. Either way, make sure the bread pudding has had a chance to cool down before refrigeration. Freezing the bread pudding in individual serving size is not a bad idea. Individually wrap each serving in plastic wrap, then stick them all in a freezer bad. Defrost it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. You can reheat the bread pudding in the microwave, starting on high for about 15 seconds, until it is warmed throughout. The sauce can also be warmed in the microwave before using it. 
    • Is my bread too old? This recipe works with stale bread, so it’s pretty much good as long as it is not moldy. If it’s moldy, don’t use it. Otherwise, go for it. Guess what...you can also use fresh bread and it will come out just right. 
    • Can I add fruit to my bread pudding?  The one dispute about New Orleans Bread Pudding is whether or not it should contain raisins. I personally prefer my bread pudding sans raisins, but many people disagree with that idea. It’s also not uncommon for some sort of fruit to be added to bread pudding. Obviously, I disagree with that also, maybe because in elementary school, the cafeteria ladies used to add a can of fruit cocktail to their bread pudding before baking it..now that’s a memory which I will leave right there. Raisins are the most popular addition. While I don’t like raisins in my bread pudding, here’s an idea. If you want to add some raisins, add them in after soaking the bread or try soaking them in some rum for a couple of hours, then fold them in while the bread is soaking in the custard.

    Check out these treats from Sweet Daddy D:

    Glazed Pecans with Rum and Cane Syrup
    These pecans, spiced and glazed with cane syrup and rum, will rev-up anything you add them to and will be the rave of your holiday gatherings.
    Glazed pecans with rum and cane syrup
    Aunt Ellen’s Fruit Cakes
    Full of sweet candied and dried fruit marinated in cherry brandy, then mixed with nuts and a spiced batter that's baked to perfection. This is why fruit cake is a holiday tradition that has lasted for centuries. If you haven't tried fruit cake, this is the one to try. If you are a fruit cake lover, then you'll know this is the best!
    four fruit cakes on a cooling rack

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    bread pudding with cane syrup rum sauce and glazed pecans with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a bowl with green trim and an ice cream scooper

    New Orleans Bread Pudding with Cane Syrup Rum Sauce

    Recognized as the classic New Orleans dessert, here is the simple recipe for this iconic favorite.
    4.50 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Cajun, Creole
    Keyword: bread pudding, New Orleans Bread Pudding
    Prep Time: 45 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
    Servings: 12 Servings
    Calories: 548kcal
    Author: Sweet Daddy D

    Here's What You Need

    Bread Pudding

    • 8 cups stale french bread
    • 4 whole eggs
    • 2 egg yolks
    • 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
    • 2 tablespoons Butter melted
    • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon fresh nutmeg grated
    • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 2 cups whole milk
    • 1½ cup Heavy Cream
    • Pinch kosher salt
    • 1 cup Glazed Pecans with Rum and Cane Syrup see recipe

    Rum Sauce

    • ½ cup Butter
    • ⅓ cup cane syrup
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon nutmeg grated
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ cup Heavy Cream
    • Pinch of Salt
    • ½ teaspoon cornstarch
    • 1 tablespoon hot water
    • ½ cup dark or amber rum

    Here's What You Do

    Bread Pudding

    • Prepare a 9" X 13" baking dish by coating it with butter.
    • Break or cut the bread into ½ to 1-inch pieces and set aside in a bowl.
    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    • To another bowl, add the whole eggs and egg yolks and whip until creamy.
    • Whisk in the dark brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
    • Add the whole milk and heavy cream and whisk together thoroughly.
    • Pour the egg custard mix over the broken bread pieces in the bowl, pressing down with your hand so that all the bread is covered with the custard mix.
    • Allow this to sit for approximately 30 minutes as the bread absorbs the custard mix, stirring occasionally.
    • Mix well with your hands, squeezing the bread to mix in the custard thoroughly and crush any large pieces of bread.
    • If you are using the Glazed Pecans, add them at this point.
    • Pour all of the soaked bread into the prepared baking dish and place in a preheated 350-degree oven.
    • Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick or clean knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

    Cane Syrup Rum Rum Sauce

    • Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
    • Add the cane syrup and stir constantly until dissolved.
    • Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
    • Whisk in the heavy cream and rum and bring to a simmer.
    • Blend the cornstarch with the HOT water to form a paste and add it to the sauce pan.
    • Allow this to simmer until thickened slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes.
    • Spoon the warm sauce over bread pudding.
    • Sprinkle Glazed Pecans on top if using.

    Recipe Notes

    This is the perfect recipe to use day old (or a few days old) New Orleans French Bread. This bread is known for its crispy crust and light and airy insides. When it's not perfectly fresh anymore, it's ideal for Pain Perdu (French Toast) or Bread Pudding.  If you don't have New Orleans French Bread available, you can use just about any bread you like.
    Adding Pecans is optional. This recipe uses my Glazed Pecans with Rum and Cane Syrup, but fresh pecans are also good, or no pecans at all.
    Many Bread Puddings use raisins which is certainly an option, but one that I prefer to skip. It's not uncommon to see other fruit used in Bread Pudding-also one that I choose to skip, although it does remind me of school lunches when I was growing up.  Try some variations of your favorite fruit if you want to change things up a bit.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 548kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 189mg | Sodium: 893mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g
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