Mushroom Bread Pudding
Updated Sept. 10, 2021
- Total Time
- About 1 hour, plus overnight soaking
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 1tablespoon olive oil
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
- ½pound mixed fresh mushrooms, such as cremini or shiitake, trimmed and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 8fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish, if desired
- 2small shallots, halved and thinly sliced
- 2tablespoons cognac (optional)
- 2teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Black pepper
- 3large leeks, white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced and well washed
- 6large eggs
- 1½cups heavy cream
- 1½cups whole milk
- ¼teaspoon ground cayenne
- 2ounces grated Gruyère (about 1 cup)
- 12ounces brioche (or 4 to 6 large brioche buns), cut into ½-inch thick slices
- 1ounce finely grated Parmesan (about ½ cup)
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
563 calories; 36 grams fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 675 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
- Step 1
Boil 1 cup of water in a small saucepan. Add the dried porcini mushrooms and soak until softened, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mushrooms to a cutting board and finely chop; set aside. Carefully pour remaining mushroom liquid into a large bowl, leaving any grit behind.
- Step 2
In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter over high. Add fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Lower heat to medium. Add sage, shallots and chopped porcini, and cook, stirring, until shallot is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add cognac, if using, season to taste with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate.
- Step 3
In the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until wilted, 5 to 7 minutes. Return the mushroom mixture to the pan and stir to combine with the leeks. Remove from heat.
- Step 4
Add eggs to the large bowl with the mushroom liquid, and whisk to blend. Add cream, milk, cayenne, 1½ teaspoons salt and plenty of black pepper. Whisk thoroughly to combine, then add the Gruyère.
- Step 5
Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter, then add about ¼ of the fresh mushroom mixture and arrange in an even layer. Arrange the bread slices on top in an overlapping pattern. Sprinkle the remaining mushroom mixture over top, tucking it in between the bread slices. Ladle the custard mixture over top, evenly distributing the cheese. Refrigerate, covered, overnight (see Tip).
- Step 6
When ready to cook, remove the dish from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Top the pudding with Parmesan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until set in the center (it may puff a bit). Run it under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to brown the top, watching carefully. Let sit 10 minutes, then serve warm, topped with additional sage if desired.
- If you don't have time to soak overnight, let sit for at least 15 minutes, pressing down on the bread from time to time to encourage absorption. Before baking, tear into a piece of bread to make sure the custard has fully permeated it — the bread shouldn’t look dry at the center — and let sit another 15 minutes, if needed, to allow the custard to fully soak in. Decrease the cooking time by 10 to 15 minutes.
Private Notes
Comments
I've made this for at least 50 years. It is the breakfast of choice by the family on holidays. I've made this using (with mushrooms) ham, sausage, bacon, many different kinds of cheese, onions instead of leeks or no onions, brioche, sour dough bread, added broccoli, spinach... in other words this is a great recipe to mess around with. Keeping the bread, milk, egg ratio: it's even good with sugar and peaches.
'Ramp up the leeks' HA! I see what you did there.
Can you use all milk in this recipe, instead of the heavy cream?
Superb! I appreciate the twist unit for ground pepper - thought it was crazy much after truthfully twisting 50 times but it wasn’t at all. Enjoyed by everyone including my 5-year-old boy. I was worried only 9 oz of pasta would be too little (as we usually cook a lb of dried pasta) but it was more than I thought. Would make again - I like the idea of anchovies for salt and will try next time.
I accidentally used fennel instead of leeks and surprisingly it was very tasty!!
I wanted to try this recipe without having to run to the store, so I made it with baby bella mushrooms and king trumpets, 2 leeks, and subbed a splash of chicken broth for the mushroom liquid in the eggs. I didn’t have heavy cream or milk, but I had almond milk & cream of mushroom soup, so I subbed those. I think the cream of mushroom was a stroke of genius. I had a loaf of sourdough the needed to be used so that served as my bread layer and I had mozzarella & Parmesan instead of Gruyère. I only had dried sage so I used that and added a good bit of fresh rosemary. It turned out absolutely beautiful to look at and tasted heavenly. Love the adaptability of this recipe!