Ham-and-Cheese Brioche Pudding

By David Tanis

Ham-and-Cheese Brioche Pudding
Karsten Moran for The New York Times
Total Time
1½ hours
Rating
4(1,025)
Comments
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Bread pudding, an old-fashioned frugal dessert, usually contains day-old bread, milk, eggs and a bit of fruit, fresh or dried, baked in a sweet custard. This savory version, made with ham and cheese, employs tender buttery brioche. It is easier to make than a quiche, but has a similar delicacy, perfect for lunch or a light supper.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings
  • 1tablespoon butter, for greasing the pan
  • 1(12-ounce) brioche loaf or smaller brioches, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
  • 6eggs
  • 4cups half-and-half or whole milk
  • 2teaspoons salt
  • ½teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • ½cup thinly sliced scallions
  • 6ounces thinly sliced ham, cut crosswise into matchsticks (about 1½ cups)
  • 8ounces grated Gouda or Gruyère cheese (about 4 cups)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

866 calories; 59 grams fat; 32 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 19 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 36 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 47 grams protein; 1236 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 11-by-11-inch baking dish. Fill dish with brioche cubes and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, beat eggs well. Whisk in half-and-half, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne and scallions. Pour mixture over cubes in baking dish.

  3. Step 3

    Sprinkle ham and cheese on top of mixture, and press down to make sure everything is submerged. Set baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer baking dish and baking sheet to the middle shelf of the oven, and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the dish emerges dry. Let rest for 10 minutes or so before serving.

Tip
  • If desired, let pudding cool completely and cut into squares or wedges. Then reheat for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,025 user ratings
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Comments

Lori

Adjusting strata to any dish size: 1 part milk + 1 part eggs + 1 part cheese + 1 part add-ins (optional) + 2 parts bread

Kevin Osinski

11 x 11 = 121 square inches; a 9 x 13 pan is 117 sq in. Seems like a reasonable substitute.

Dean

It would be nice if recipes called for standard size baking dishes - 8x8, 9x9, 9x11, 9x13, and so on. Who had 11x11? I've never heard of it.

Diana

Mine was excellent, I am guessing because: I used leftover roast ham, not fresh deli ham (can be sweeter- I avoid water-injected ham); I don't understand people multiplying the total inches of pan - the reason an 11x11 pan was specified is that a square pan will cook evenly on all sides and the center, which may not happen with a rectangular or oddly shaped pan. I used homemade challah bread, 3 days old. When a great chef like Tanis specifies a certain pan there is a reason, I pay attention.

Christine Kelley Storch

The make a head instructions were perfect!

Lee Middleton

Easy to make. Delicious. I followed recipe exactly. Would not make any changes.

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