Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Puddings & Custards Bread Pudding Recipes Kris Kringle Bread Pudding 3.2 (33) Add your rating & review By Martha Stewart Test Kitchen Martha Stewart Test Kitchen The recipes developed by our test kitchen team have undergone a rigorous process of development and testing, ensuring that every element is optimal, from ingredient amounts to method and cooking time. This process includes triple-testing recipes to ensure they meet our high standards. The many stellar cooks and food editors who have been part of our team include Sarah Carey, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Jennifer Aaronson, Shira Bocar, Anna Kovel, Greg Lofts, Riley Wofford, Lauren Tyrell, and Lindsay Leopold. Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 9, 2018 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Servings: 12 Yield: 2 puddings Topped with a sour lemon sauce, this light, fluffy bread pudding is flecked with orange zest and studded with dried fruits, including prunes and apricots. For a festive holiday gift, wrap each bowl in colorful cellophane, then attach a gift card that includes instructions for serving and storing the pudding. Ingredients Unsalted butter, softened, for bowls ¾ cups vanilla sugar or granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling 1 ⅓ cups Armagnac or other brandy 7 ounces assorted dried fruit, such as peaches, apricots, and pears 7 ounces pitted prunes 5 cups heavy cream 2 cups half and half 2 cinnamon sticks 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise and seeds scraped to loosen Finely grated zest of 1 orange 12 large egg yolks 2 large loaves day-old brioche (1 pound each), cut into 1 ¼-inch cubes Sour Lemon Sauce, for serving Directions Brush two 1 1/2-quart ovenproof bowls with butter, and sprinkle with vanilla sugar; tap out excess. Bring Armagnac, dried fruit, and prunes to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fruit has softened and absorbed the liquid, about 10 minutes. Coarsely chop fruit. Bring cream, half and half, vanilla sugar, cinnamon, vanilla beans and seeds, and zest to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Lightly beat egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, gradually ladle half the hot-cream mixture into the yolks. Pour yolk mixture into saucepan with remaining cream mixture. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly and scraping sides of pan, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Pass custard through a fine sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In another large bowl, combine brioche cubes and chopped fruit, reserving 1/2 cup fruit. Pour in custard; toss to combine. Divide bread mixture between prepared bowls. Top each with half the reserved fruit. Sprinkle with vanilla sugar. Place a parchment round in water to dampen and transfer to top of pudding bowl to cover. Use a rubber band to secure, and tie with kitchen twine. Repeat process with second bowl. Let stand until bread has soaked up liquid, about 20 minutes. Set bowls in deep roasting pan. Transfer pan to oven; add enough boiling water to come 3 inches up sides of bowls. Bake 1 hour. Uncover; bake until set, about 30 minutes more. Serve warm or at room temperature, with sour lemon sauce. Puddings can be refrigerated up to 3 days; let cool completely before covering with plastic wrap. If desired, reheat in a 350-degree oven, just until warm. Bryan Gardner Cook's Notes To make vanilla sugar, place vanilla beans and sugar in an airtight container; let stand 1 week, shaking occasionally. Rate it Print