Challah Bread Pudding

Published Dec. 14, 2022

Challah Bread Pudding
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(251)
Comments
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This bread pudding is a dream of a dish to use up leftover challah, babka, brioche or a mix of day-old breads. (You can even add dry cake!) Bake this as soon as it’s assembled — useful for last-minute brunch — or dip each piece of the bread in the vanilla cream sauce ahead of time, then prop the pieces vertically in an attractive baking dish and refrigerate, so all you have to do the next day is pop the pudding in the oven before bringing it to the table. Not too sweet, the bittersweet chocolate and poppy seeds add a nice touch and taste without overwhelming the vanilla and cinnamon. Your guests will gobble this dish up. —Joan Nathan

Featured in: A Warsaw Bakery Seeks to Preserve Jewish Food Where It Was Nearly Lost

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 2cups/480 milliliters heavy cream
  • 3large eggs
  • 4tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 2teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of fine salt
  • 8 to 10(¾-inch-thick) slices of challah (about 12 ounces)
  • 3tablespoons 70 percent bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks
  • 2tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

587 calories; 42 grams fat; 24 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 299 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 the oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    In a wide bowl, whisk together the cream, eggs, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1½ tablespoons poppy seeds, the vanilla, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon and the salt. Working with one slice at a time, thoroughly dip the bread in the mixture, then stand each piece vertically in a deep, 9-inch or equivalent attractive baking pan or baking dish. Fill in any holes with cut-up pieces of dipped bread and pour any leftover cream into the baking pan. (If not baking immediately, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.)

  3. Step 3

    Sprinkle the chocolate chips, remaining ½ tablespoon poppy seeds and remaining ¼ teaspoon cinnamon on top and around the bread. Brush the butter on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

  4. Step 4

    Bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes, then broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely, until the very top gets a bit of burned color. Serve immediately.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
251 user ratings
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Comments

A rationale for the vertical orientation of the slices would be helpful, since to my way of thinking the custard would pool in the lower portion, with the upper being dry. The photo sure doesn't make me think the bread is saturated with custard...

What if you follow the recipe as to soaking overnight, and before baking turn each slice over as best you can with the soaked part now on top. I would imagine the bottom of the soaked bread would fall apart, but if successful all of the bread would have the delicious taste. OR you could put a second pan the exact size of the first over the top of the soaked bread and flip it over into the second pan. Do this over a sheet pan, pour any spilled liquid into the pan with the bread.

Paul Joseph, Seems pretty clear: ‘ Working with one slice at a time, thoroughly dip the bread in the mixture, then stand each piece vertically in a deep, 9-inch or equivalent attractive baking pan or baking dish. Fill in any holes with cut-up pieces of dipped bread and pour any leftover cream into the baking pan.’ Methinks the bread is sufficiently soaked. You can always do it another way, though why not try this out?

I followed the ingredients, but put it in a slowcooker for 2-3 hours. Came out beautifully!

I tried tearing the Challah bread into small bite sized pieces instead of placing slices vertically in pan as one person, Sharon, suggested. It worked very well and fit into a 9x13 pan. I also might recommend using mini chocolate chips, instead of the regular sized ones as I found that mine didn't melt completely.

Wouldn't worry too much about excess mixture at the bottom of the pan. Just don't overdo it when you're dipping the bread and make sure all the gaps are filled in like they said. If you want to avoid excess mixture at the bottom altogether, consider setting the dipped pieces of bread into/onto something else that will let a little bit of the excess mixture come off before you stand all the pieces up in the pan you'll be using to bake with. If you happen to have a meatloaf pan laying around (Looks like a bread pan, just perforated at the bottom to allow fat to drain out), you may be able to get away with dipping the bread then placing it in that to let the excess drain. Anything perforated will do I imagine.

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Credits

Recipe from Charlotte Menora

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