FOOD: White Chocolate and Strawberry Bread Pudding

Hi there, Amanda here from A Life Well Lived. Today I am going to share with you my secret white chocolate strawberry bread pudding recipe.  I first tasted this recipe a long time ago - I was eating at a restaurant and had a version of this dessert. I asked the waiter to see if the chef would share his recipe because I loved it. He went back to the kitchen and the chef said no. No!? Since wouldn't share,  I had to recreate it. It took me a couple tries to get it right but  I think it is even better than the original. Take that chef! 

Bread pudding is one of my favorite desserts, right behind soufflés. It doesn't get much better than custardy-sweet-decadent bread pudding. It is the all time best comfort food.  It is a great dessert to make when you are having company over for dinner (or even brunch)  because this bread pudding is best if you let it sit overnight (or at least 12 hours) and let the bread and the egg do their thing. The longer the bread sits in the egg mixture the tastier it becomes.

The magic ingredient in this dessert is the white chocolate. It is unexpected and totally delicious In my opinion, white chocolate doesn't get any recognition but it is pretty darn tasty. Especially when combined with strawberries.  Heavenly.

So unlike that chef many years before and in the spirit of sharing please make, eat and enjoy this delicious bread pudding. White Chocolate and Strawberry Bread Pudding:

• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons of orange zest
• 1 ¼ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 loaf of day old bread cut into 1 inch cubes (preferably a hearty bread like ciabatta or batard)
• 2 cups of strawberries, diced
• 8 oz. of white chocolate chunks

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, milk, orange zest and 1 cup of the sugar. Add the vanilla and the salt. Add the day old bread and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. Pre-heat the oven to 275°F and butter a 9 x 11 inch rectangle baking dish Remove the bread mixture from the refrigerator and fold in white chocolate and berries. Transfer to prepared baking dish and cover with aluminum foil (Spray the foil with non-stick spray before placing on top of bread pudding mixture so it doesn’t stick when baking) Bake for 1 ¾ hours. Remove the foil and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cups of sugar. Raise the oven temperature to 500°F and return the pudding to the over and bake for 15 minutes or until the top is golden and crispy. Serve warm and top with whipped cream.

-post by amanda fredrickson