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    Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes

    Blueberry Bread Pudding with Creme Anglaise

    Published: Aug 23, 2021 by Chef Dennis Littley

    4.4K shares
    • Facebook1.3K
    • Yummly
    4.70 from 52 votes
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    pinterest image for blueberry bread pudding

    Have you ever had Blueberry Bread Pudding?

    If not, you’re going to love my blueberry bread pudding! One of my signature desserts has always been bread pudding. I learned to make it early on in my career and there are few that ever come close to this amazingly simple dessert.

    I’m sure you’ve had bread pudding many times in your life and most end up being so dense and heavy that they need to be smothered in an over the top sauce just to make them palatable.

    blueberry bread pudding on a white plate with creme anglais

    And that’s really a shame because bread pudding should be light, creamy and delicious even without a sauce.

    What Kind of bread should I use when making bread pudding?

    Potato bread is my favorite bread to use when I make my legendary bread pudding. But I’ve also used regular white bread, hot dog rolls, hamburger rolls (unseeded), hoagie rolls and croissants.

    I would say just about any white flour bread item would work. Rye or any other strong-flavored bread, or seeded bread would be a little too much for this dessert. Although a tasty 11-grain bread could make a very interesting bread pudding.

    Using potato or white bread for the pudding allows it to stand on its own and the sauce simply accents the light fluffy texture and flavors.

    overhead shot of blueberry bread pudding on a white plate with creme anglais

    How do I make Blueberry Bread Pudding?

    four images showing how to make the custard for the bread pudding

    To make the custard mixture, gently beat the eggs, then add the milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Continue to whip using a whisk until the sugar has been fully incorporated.

    four images showing how to make blueberry bread pudding
    • Use a 13×9 inch baking pan to make my blueberry bread pudding.
    • Cut the potato bread into cubes and place in the baking dish (it should be higher than the pan)
    • Pour the custard mixture over the bread cubes and mix well and let it sit for at least 15 minutes.
    • Add in the blueberries, distributing them through out the bread mixture. Drizzle the melted butter over the entire pan letting some of the butters richness touch as much of the top of the mixture that it can.
    • Cover the pudding lightly with foil, making sure to give room for expansion.
    overhead view of baked blueberry bread pudding

    Bake the blueberry bread pudding for one hour at 350 degrees.

    Then uncover the bread pudding and continue to bake for 15 minutes more or until the center is fully set. (if the butter has pooled in any area, spread it around before the final 15 minutes…this will help get it golden brown.)

    How do I make Creme Anglaise?

    four images showing how to make creme anglaise
    • Bring 4 eggs to room temperature, and separate using only the yolks.
    • Whip the egg yolks with the sugar until fluffy and pale yellow, set aside
    • In a small pot heat the milk and half and half until it is simmering, remove from heat.
    • Slowly mix half of the milk into the egg mixture, stirring the eggs as you pour the hot milk into them.
    • Add the egg mixture back into the remaining milk along with the vanilla and continue to simmer for about 5-7 minutes until the mixture has slightly thickened, use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture constantly, getting into all the corners.

    *The Creme Anglaise should be thick enough that when you run your finger through a coating on a spoon it remains separated.

    What is the best topping for bread pudding?

    I started out making my legendary bread pudding with a cream cheese frosting but for this recipe, I wanted to change things up a bit.

    Blueberries found their way into this version of bread pudding when I noticed a pint of fresh blueberries in the fridge.

    I didn’t want to overpower the blueberries in this dessert so I decided to make Creme Anglaise instead of my classic cream cheese frosting. It was a good choice.

    portion fo blueberry bread pudding on a white plate without the cream anglais

    This would also be amazing served with vanilla ice cream or simply homemade whipped cream. But way, you serve it, serve warm from the oven and I promise you’ll get rave reviews!

    pouring creme anglais from a pitcher onto a portion of  blueberry bread pudding

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    overhead shot of blueberry bread pudding on a white plate with creme anglais
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    4.70 from 52 votes

    Blueberry Bread Pudding with Creme Anglaise

    When you’re looking for a delicious and easy make classic American dessert, try my blueberry bread pudding with a creme anglaise. Your family will be glad you did.
    Prep Time30 mins
    Cook Time1 hr 15 mins
    Total Time1 hr 45 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 422kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    Blueberry Bread Pudding

    • 1 loaf sliced potato bread cut into cubes
    • 4 cups whole milk
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 ½ cups sugar
    • 2 tablespoons pure vanilla
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen
    • 2 ounces unsalted butter optional (melted)

    Creme Anglaise

    • 1 cup whole milk
    • ⅓ cup half and half or heavy cream
    • 3 oz sugar
    • 4 large egg yolks
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    US Customary – Metric
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    Instructions

    Blueberry Bread Pudding

    • You will need a 13×9 inch baking pan
    • Cut the potato bread into cubes and place in the baking dish (it should be higher than the pan)
    • Gently beat the eggs, then add the milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla and continue to whip with a whisk until the sugar has been fully incorporated.
    • Pour this milk and egg mixture over the cut bread, mixing it well so that all of the bread has absorbed some of the milk. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes.
    • Add in the blueberries, distributing them through out the bread mixture. Drizzle the melted butter over the entire pan letting some of the butters richness touch as much of the top of the mixture that it can.
    • Cover the pudding lightly with foil. Give room for expansion.
    • Bake for One hour at 350 degrees, then uncover and continue to bake for 15 minutes more or until center is fully set. (if the butter has pooled in any area, spread it around before the finally 15 minutes…this will help get it golden brown.)
    • Allow the pudding to cool some, but serve it warm with the Creme Anglaise

    Creme Anglaise

    • Bring 4 eggs to room temperature, and separate using only the yolks.
    • Whip the egg yolks with the sugar until fluffy and pale yellow, set aside
    • In a small pot heat the milk and half and half until it is simmering, remove from heat.
    • Slowly mix half of the milk into the egg mixture, stirring the eggs as you pour the hot milk into them.
    • Add the egg mixture back into the remaining milk along with the vanilla and continue to simmer for about 5-7 minutes until the mixture has slightly thickened, use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture constantly, getting into all the corners.
    • (The Creme Anglaise should be thick enough that when you run your finger through a coating on a spoon it remains separated.)
    • You may strain the Creme Anglaise if it looks like it might have cooked egg in it, but if you’re careful you should not need to. **
    • Place the pot with the finished sauce in a bowl of ice water to cool it down quickly, stirring as it cools.
    • Place the Creme Anglaise in the refrigerator to get completely chilled and serve with the warm bread pudding.

    Notes

    **do not get the creme anglaise too hot and don’t be tempted to leave it on too long to try and continue to thicken. It will break and be unusable if it heats too long.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 260mg | Potassium: 559mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 505IU | Vitamin C: 2.4mg | Calcium: 237mg | Iron: 1.6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ashley Jones

      September 12, 2021 at 11:37 am

      5 stars
      I tasked the hubby with throwing this in the crockpot the other day for dinner. It turned out so good! I wouldn’t change a thing. I also shared it on my blog today — linking back to you of course 🙂 Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    2. Elizabeth

      August 15, 2021 at 1:06 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! The whole family loved it!

      Reply
    3. Luca - Ruoka on valmis

      August 14, 2021 at 12:13 pm

      5 stars
      Can’t wait to make this tomorrow!

      Reply
    4. Kylie

      August 14, 2021 at 8:09 am

      5 stars
      Yum! Loved by the whole family!

      Reply
    5. Amanda

      August 13, 2021 at 5:42 pm

      5 stars
      I’m a huge bread pudding fan, and this was fabulous! The little bursts of blueberry in every bite made for such a nice summer treat.

      Reply
    6. Debra

      August 13, 2021 at 12:04 pm

      5 stars
      Delish…I had never made bread pudding….we used leftover challah and it was awesome….thanks for the htips.

      Reply
    7. Liz

      August 13, 2021 at 11:59 am

      5 stars
      We simply couldn’t get enough of this!

      Reply
    8. Kyleigh

      August 13, 2021 at 11:56 am

      5 stars
      I love bread pudding and this sauce is just amazing!

      Reply
    9. Debra

      August 23, 2020 at 9:39 pm

      5 stars
      Ah…bread pudding is my weakness…always love it. That sauce though….yum!

      Reply
    10. Leslie

      August 20, 2020 at 2:22 pm

      5 stars
      I don’t think I have ever seen a recipe that I want to try as much as this! THIS LOOKS INCREDIBLE! Pinning this to make later!

      Reply
    11. Meesha

      August 19, 2020 at 7:20 pm

      5 stars
      This looks really decadent! Have a bunch of blueberries I have to use up, so for sure going to make this recipe!

      Reply
    12. Alexandra

      August 19, 2020 at 7:03 pm

      5 stars
      Such a delicious way to use blueberries – and such a satisfying dessert!

      Reply
    13. Kay

      August 19, 2020 at 4:50 pm

      5 stars
      My mum’s favourite, can’t wait to make this for her! She will love me for it!

      Reply
    14. Taleen | Just As Tasty

      August 19, 2020 at 12:03 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve never tried blueberry bread pudding and clearly I am missing out! Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    15. Amanda

      August 19, 2020 at 11:33 am

      5 stars
      This bread pudding is fabulous! It’s such a great way to use blueberries, and the sauce was the perfect finishing. touch.

      Reply
    16. Marie Leclerc

      April 30, 2020 at 10:56 am

      5 stars
      I had frozen raspberries to use up. It came out wonderful and the sauce is supurb!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        April 30, 2020 at 1:43 pm

        I bet it was ah-mazing!! thanks for the great review.

        Reply
    17. Shari

      January 09, 2020 at 4:27 pm

      4 stars
      Wonderful Recipe, simple enough and perfect for this cold day here in Ontario. I always make it with raisins, most times soaked in dark rum but thought I’d try a different flavor/recipe. Well done, thank you. Hubby loved it too. 😁

      Reply
    18. Bill

      June 28, 2019 at 11:15 pm

      5 stars
      Fabulous recipe…I’ve made this 4 times in the last couple of months…the details in making the Anglaise Sauce are terrific…no problems.
      Thanks Chef!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        June 29, 2019 at 7:12 am

        you are very welcome Bill, and thank you for the great review!

        Reply
      • Naomi

        September 29, 2022 at 6:37 am

        I tried this with challah bread. The flavor was amazing but mine came out soggy. I baked it again to try drying it out, but it didn’t help. Am I supposed to use ‘just enough’ of the milk mix, or do I drain the pan once the bread has soaked enough? We still gobbled it up, I will definitely try it again but I’d appreciate some advice.

        Reply
        • Chef Dennis Littley

          September 30, 2022 at 3:22 pm

          I am at a loss as to what could have happened, I’ve been making that bread pudding for about 40 years and never had that happen. My only thought was that you didn’t use enough bread, or accidentally added too much milk.
          As a loaf can be subjective in terms of size, you want to have the cut bread mounding in the 13 x 9 baking pan. And I’m sure you’re aware but just checking the cream angalise is made separately and added to the baked pudding.

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