Description
Panettone bread pudding offers a luxurious Italian-inspired dessert that elevates classic comfort food. Silky custard, sweet dried fruits, and rich cream create a memorable holiday treat you’ll savor with pure culinary delight.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1¼ lbs (565 g) panettone (Italian sweet bread)
- 4 extra-large eggs
- 6 extra-large egg yolks
- 1½ tbsps (22.5 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 5 cups (1.2 L) half-and-half
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsps pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp grated orange zest
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ⅓ cup (30 g) sliced blanched almonds
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and arrange oven rack in the middle position.
- Bread Transformation: Slice panettone into ½-inch thick pieces and 1-inch cubes. Toast bread fragments on a sheet pan for 8-10 minutes until golden, developing rich, crisp texture.
- Baking Vessel Arrangement: Generously butter a 10 × 14 × 2-inch rectangular baking dish. Create a uniform base layer with panettone slices, trimming edges as needed. Scatter toasted cubes evenly across the initial layer.
- Custard Creation: Whisk whole eggs, egg yolks, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla extract, orange zest, and salt in a large mixing bowl until smooth and completely integrated.
- Liquid Infusion: Pour custard over panettone, ensuring complete coverage. Gently press bread to maximize liquid absorption. Rest mixture for 10 minutes or refrigerate up to 6 hours for deeper flavor development.
- Baking Process: Sprinkle sliced almonds on top. Place baking dish inside a larger roasting pan. Fill outer pan halfway with hot water. Cover with foil, creating a ventilated tent. Bake covered for 45 minutes, then uncovered for 35-45 minutes until a knife inserted comes out clean.
- Serving Presentation: Remove pudding from water bath carefully. Cool slightly. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature for an elegant dessert experience.
Notes
- Prep Panettone Precisely: Toast bread pieces carefully to achieve a golden color, enhancing texture and depth of flavor without burning.
- Custard Consistency Matters: Whisk ingredients thoroughly to create a smooth, well-incorporated mixture that ensures even flavor distribution throughout the pudding.
- Water Bath Wisdom: Use very hot water when creating the bain-marie technique to maintain consistent temperature and prevent cracking during baking.
- Resting is Crucial: Allow pudding to sit for at least 10 minutes before baking, enabling bread to fully absorb the rich custard and develop deeper, more complex flavors.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 250 mg