Sometimes bread pudding is needed in life. Sometimes it needs to be traditional with rum sauce. And sometimes it needs to be played with and made crazy. This time was the crazy time. I had ingredients lying around. I wanted to use them up before they all went bad. So, what do you do when you have raspberries, a surplus loaf of French bread, and peaches? You check how much dairy and how many eggs you have and you make a bread pudding.
Now I know, you’re thinking a surplus loaf of French bread, who ever has that? It happened to me. Two loaves for the price of one, so I ended up with an extra loaf. I thought about making French toast with my French bread, but that was a lot of French. Then the peaches and raspberries sat there looking so forlorn. Then it all just kind of came together.
Originally, I called this a strata, then bread pudding, and have gone back and forth. The title is bread pudding but all the pictures are saved in my computer as strata. So which is it? I have no idea. I went online, did some research, and since it’s sweet, it lends itself to a bread pudding, but with more eggs than milk, it lends itself to a strata.
So, you can call it what you want, but it’s simply delicious. I’m not going to lie either, these are not the best pictures I have ever taken. Bread pudding or stratas are not the most elegant to photograph. 75 photos (gotta love digital) and these are the ones I liked the most. I even thought of tossing the recipe out, but I really loved it as did everyone I shared it with, so I decided to go ahead and share it.
A note about the cardamom. I love cardamom, but it’s an expensive spice and very strongly flavored. Don’t like the flavor or the cost of the spice, please omit it. The dish will stand on it’s own just fine without the cardamom.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of French bread; cubed or torn into pieces
- 6 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 tsp . vanilla
- 1/2 tsp . salt
- 1/4 tsp . cardamom
- 1/2 tsp . cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp . nutmeg
- 3-4 tsp . sugar
- 2 cups fresh peaches; sliced or canned; drained well
- 1 cup fresh raspberries or frozen , thawed and drained
- 5 oz . cream cheese; softened
- 1 stick butter; melted
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°.
-
In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, vanilla, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar together, slowly whisk in the flour.
-
In a large bowl, toss the bread, peaches, and raspberries together and slowly mix in the liquid, making sure it all incorporated.
-
Chill for 2-12 hours.
-
In a large skillet or baking dish, add a small layer of the bread pudding, then small dollops of cream cheese.
-
Add another small layer of bread pudding and then more cream cheese. Continue until all the bread pudding and cream cheese has been added to the pan.
-
Pour melted butter over the top.
-
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through.
40 Comments
Lynn @ Order in the Kitchen
December 8, 2014 at 6:29 amWhat an amazing flavor combination to put in a bread pudding!!! I want it for breakfast NOW!
Michelle
December 8, 2014 at 8:59 amI never even thought about eating it for breakfast…but why not? 🙂 Thank you.
heather @french press
December 8, 2014 at 8:34 amoh how I just LOVE bread pudding!!
Michelle
December 8, 2014 at 8:55 amI love it too, in any way, shape, or form.
Sandi Gaertner (@sandigtweets)
December 8, 2014 at 12:08 pmI absolutely love this. How can I survive not trying this?? Starving now 🙂
Michelle
December 8, 2014 at 2:49 pmIt’s super simple and with your GF bread, perfectly “healthy” 😉
amanda paa
December 8, 2014 at 12:54 pmoh how i would love to wake up to this on christmas morning! what a great combination. the cardamom addition is brilliant.
Michelle
December 8, 2014 at 2:50 pmThank you Amanda! I love cardamom, but it’s a particular spice, not all do, so happy to hear you do. And I like your thinking about the Christmas morning…
Lisa@Creole Contessa
December 8, 2014 at 1:09 pmBread Pudding and Peaches-Perfect!
Michelle
December 8, 2014 at 2:48 pmThank you Lisa.
Loriann
December 8, 2014 at 2:41 pmLooks fantastic!
Michelle
December 8, 2014 at 3:47 pmThank you Loriann!
Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma)
December 8, 2014 at 2:50 pmThe bread pudding looks stunning! Those dishes are hard to photograph too! YUM!
Michelle
December 8, 2014 at 3:46 pmThank you Cindy…it was really hard. But so delicious to just trash the recipe.
Darla
December 8, 2014 at 2:54 pmThis looks so great and it doesn’t look hard! I can’t wait to try it!
Michelle
December 8, 2014 at 3:46 pmThanks Darla, hope you love it.
lizzy
December 8, 2014 at 5:30 pmThis looks amazing definitely making for company!
Michelle
December 8, 2014 at 5:55 pmOh fantastic. Hope you all enjoy it.
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
December 8, 2014 at 6:58 pmI love the combination of peaches and raspberries in this!
Michelle
December 9, 2014 at 11:17 amThank you Erin.
Cate @ Chez CateyLou
December 9, 2014 at 11:01 amI’m so glad you shared this! Some foods are hard to photograph, but you can tell that this tastes delicious – so I’m so glad you gave us the recipe! Yum!
Michelle
December 9, 2014 at 11:13 amThank you Cate.
Linda (Meal Planning Maven)
December 9, 2014 at 12:39 pmWhat a beautiful holiday dish!
Michelle
December 9, 2014 at 1:17 pmThank you Linda!
Debra Clark
December 10, 2014 at 4:46 pmWow, so colorful and appetizing! What a beautiful combination of flavors and such a treat for the eyes. This looks delicious!
Michelle
December 10, 2014 at 11:00 pmThank you Debra…the peaches and raspberries were wonderful.
Petro Neagu
December 30, 2014 at 12:36 amI love both peach and raspberry but never thought of mixing them. Your bread pudding looks super delicious.
Michelle
December 30, 2014 at 12:43 amThank you Petro! It was a tasty dish.
Manila Spoon
August 8, 2015 at 10:27 amTwo of my favorite summer fruits in one delicious pudding – for me that’s awesome! This looks scrumptious and perfectly satisfying for one’s sweet cravings!
Michelle
August 8, 2015 at 10:18 pmThank you Abigail, it really was a wonderful pairing of fruit.
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic
August 8, 2015 at 11:22 am“…but that was a lot of French.” Hahaha! I don’t care what you call this, just call me when it comes out of the oven. I love fruity bread pudding!
Michelle
August 8, 2015 at 10:18 pmI’ll give you a shout when I make the next one.
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free
August 8, 2015 at 12:55 pmWow, this looks like a delicious flavor bomb Michelle! I can’t believe I’ve never made bread pudding – better get on it!
Michelle
August 8, 2015 at 10:19 pmYou do need to make one, the aroma in your house is amazing.
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life
August 9, 2015 at 4:58 amBread pudding is one of my favorite desserts and I haven’t made it in years. Time to change that…this looks delicious!
Michelle
August 10, 2015 at 9:37 amIt’s a great dessert, particularly as the weather starts to change to fall.
Kaitie
August 9, 2015 at 12:38 pmI’ve never made bread pudding but I have to say that I think this is worth the attempt! I love peaches & raspberries and with those flavours combined, this will be worth the effort! 🙂
Michelle
August 10, 2015 at 9:37 amOh for your first, maybe go traditional with the rum sauce? But this one is fantastic.
Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily
August 10, 2015 at 11:31 amI have a huge basket of ripe peaches on my counter that have been screaming to be turned into something yummy. This is totally happening!
Michelle
August 10, 2015 at 11:57 amHope you enjoy it.