Unlike the typically chunky American bread pudding, this Brazilian panettone bread pudding is smooth and creamy, resembling a caramel flan (although denser). It is garnished with candied fruits, making it a perfect dessert for Christmas. Brazilian bread pudding is usually made with stale French bread and mixed in a blender. Due to the deep influence of Italian immigrants on Southern Brazilian cuisine, panettone, a sweet Italian bread, became a staple on Brazilian tables at Christmastime; panettone can either be served as is, or used to make desserts such as this one. It is a feast for the eyes!
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 40 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- One 26.2-ounce (750-gram) store-bought candied fruit panettone, sliced into 1/2-inch chunks and stale (see Cook’s Note)
- 3 cups whole milk, warm
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 3/4 cup candied fruits, chopped and then mixed with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour to coat (see Cook’s Note)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (to avoid crystallization)
- 1/4 cup candied fruits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
- For the panettone bread pudding: In a large bowl, soak the stale panettone chunks in the warm milk until softened, about 15 minutes.
- For the caramel: Meanwhile, stir together the sugar, lemon juice and 1/2 cup water in a nonstick medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and cook until the sugar has dissolved and mixture turns an amber color, 8 to 10 minutes. (Make sure to not stir the mixture when cooking, although you can tilt the pan to gently swirl once when you reduce to medium heat.) Remove from the heat.
- Pour the caramel into a 10-inch ring baking pan, tilting it in a circular motion to evenly coat the sides and bottom with the caramel. Because the caramel will be hot, wear oven mitts! Let it sit until hardened, at least 5 minutes.
- In a blender, blend the soaked bread with the milk, eggs, sugar and orange extract until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, mix the coated candied fruits into the batter. Then, pour the mixture into the ring pan lined with the hardened caramel.
- Bake, uncovered, until an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean, 35 to 45 minutes.
- Transfer the pan to a rack and let the bread pudding cool down until slightly warm, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Gently run a thin knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the bread pudding. Place a serving plate on top of the pan and carefully flip the pan onto the plate. Serve the bread pudding warm or, preferably, cover and refrigerate until chilled, up to 2 days.
- For the garnish: Decorate the top and sides with candied fruits, slice the pudding and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 765 |
| Total Fat | 16 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 143 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 101 g |
| Protein | 15 g |
| Cholesterol | 130 mg |
| Sodium | 315 mg |
Reviews
Cooked this in a Bain Marie for over an hour and a half. It was still way undercooked. A liquid mess. Also way too sweet. I won’t make this again.