Eggnog Bread Pudding with Warm Caramel Sauce – Recipe!

Eggnog Bread Pudding with Warm Caramel Sauce is a stand-out dessert on any holiday table with its warm custard center and crunchy top.  Traditionally, it’s made with cream, milk and eggs, but this time of the year, it’s fun to play with the flavorings, and use something much more festive, like eggnog.

Eggnog is a seasonal drink to enjoy at a Christmas gathering, or in front of a roaring fire in the wintertime.  It’s rich and creamy consistency makes it truly a splurge worthy beverage, but using it as a flavoring in desserts brings additional cheer.

To start, a good holiday bread pudding begins with soaking dried bread cubes, and in this case, in a bath of eggnog, because it slightly softens them.  A splash of rum and vanilla add flavor to this spectacular holiday dessert as the chunks of bread drink up every last bit of custard before being baked.  The warm caramel sauce finishes the dessert beautifully and adds burnt sugar notes to each and every spoonful.  I scoop the pudding onto plates, and pour the thickened amber sugar over the top, and wait for it to roll down the sides.  A perfect Christmastime dessert.

Ingredients

Pudding

4 cups cubed egg or French bread

4 eggs

2 cups light eggnog or almond nog

3 tablespoons rum

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Caramel Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

splash of rum, optional

(Serves 6)

To Prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place cubed bread on a sheet pan and toast in oven for 10 minutes.  Remove and let cool.
2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, eggnog, rum, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Whisk until combined.
3. Add toasted bread to custard and stir.  Allow bread to rest in custard for 20 minutes.
4. Pour mixture into a greased 1-quart oven-safe dish.  Place on sheet pan and cover with foil.  Bake in oven for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until deep golden brown and puffed on top.
5. Remove and dust with powdered sugar immediately.  Wait a 5 minutes and dust again.
6. In a saucepan, add sugar and 1/4 cup water.  Place pan over medium-high heat and cook sugar until deep golden brown (do not stir during cooking) about 4-5 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and add cream, whisk until mixture becomes smooth.  Add butter, vanilla, salt and more rum, whisk again until creamy.  Serve sauce with pudding.  Enjoy!