Savory Bacon Bread Pudding Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the bacon, closely spaced, on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, flipping halfway through, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is lightly browned but not at all crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Meanwhile, add the sausage to a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Drain alongside the bacon.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Beat the eggs and half-and-half in a large bowl. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a generous grinding of black pepper. Fold in the bread cubes and the cooked sausage and let soak for 5 minutes.
• In a 12-cup muffin tin, line each cup with a slice of the bacon, making a ring so the ends overlap. Divide the bread mixture among the cups, using a tablespoon to keep it neat. Sprinkle the tops with half of the Cheddar, followed by the red pepper and scallion and then the rest of the Cheddar.
• Bake until puffed and golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, about 20 minutes. Remove the bread puddings from the muffin tin with a fork. Serve hot or warm.

Steps:

• For the savory bread pudding: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter 6 ramekins.
• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil and bacon. Allow the bacon to crisp and the bacon fat to render, 6 to 8 minutes. Once the bacon is crispy and the bacon fat has rendered off, add the garlic, peppers, carrots, celery and mushrooms to the pan. Add the garlic powder, onion powder and red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the fresh herbs, mix and set aside.
• Crack the eggs into a large bowl and add a healthy splash of milk, a pinch of salt and pepper and the brioche cubes. Mix with your hands until the bread is soaked and wet. Fold in the reserved vegetables and herbs. Mix everything together and place in the prepared ramekins. Sprinkle a healthy amount of cheese on top. Bake until the top is golden brown and the center is fully cooked (stick a knife in the center of the bread pudding and if it comes out clean your bread pudding is done), 15 to 20 minutes.
• For the tomato bacon jam: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the tomatoes and bacon. Allow the bacon to render, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, shallot, frozen black cherries and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to blender and blend until smooth. Double strain and enjoy.
• For the bloody marys: Fill 6 large cocktail glasses with ice. Pour 2 ounces of the vodka, a splash of hot sauce, a splash of Worcestershire sauce into each glass and top with bloody mary mix. Garnish as desired, serve and enjoy.
• To assemble: Grate some more cheese on top of each ramekin of bread pudding. Serve alongside some tomato bacon jam and a bloody mary. Bon appetit.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place baguette cubes onto a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until dry, about 15 minutes. Remove bread and set aside. Keep oven on.
• Meanwhile, warm oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until softened but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Whisk milk and eggs together in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Grease a casserole dish with cooking spray; sprinkle a thin layer of Gruyere cheese on the bottom.
• Top Gruyere with 1/2 of the toasted bread cubes. Spread leeks over bread cubes and sprinkle diced bacon on top. Top with more cheese, reserving about half. Ladle 1/2 of the milk mixture over bread, leeks, bacon, and cheese. Slightly press bread cubes down into the milk. Layer remaining bread across the top, and continue layering leeks and bacon. Ladle remaining milk on top. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the casserole. Slightly press bread cubes down into the milk.
• Let casserole sit for 15 minutes.
• Cover casserole very loosely with aluminum foil so cheese does not melt against it. Place casserole dish on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake until cheese and bread cubes are well browned on top, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Steps:

• One day before preparing the pudding, place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and let stand at room temperature overnight, or until the cubes are dried out.
• The next day, in a big skillet, cook the bacon over med-high heat, turning once, for 5 minutes, or until evenly browned and crisp; remove to paper towels to drain.
• Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish; arrange the cubes in the dish.
• Scatter the bacon, peppers, and spinach leaves evenly over the cubes.
• Sprinkle with the 2 cups cheese.
• With a large spoon, evenly distribute the ingredients.
• In a big bowl, whisk together or beat with an electric mixer on medium speed the eggs, milk, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste until well blended.
• Ladle the milk mixture over the bread, using your fingers, if necessary, to press the bread into the liquid.
• Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese.
• Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
• The next morning, remove the baking dish from the refrigerator 1 hour before baking and preheat the oven to 350°.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until slightly puffed, set, and browned on the top.
• If the center is still underdone, push the bread down with a wooden spoon to help the bread absorb the liquid; bake for a few more minutes.
• Let rest for a few minutes and then cut into squares.
• Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cut the bread into cubes and place the cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, until just barely toasted. Remove the bread cubes from the oven and set aside.
• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until very crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
• Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat and discard the rest. Add the butter to the bacon fat in the skillet and sauté the garlic and onions for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
• Whisk the eggs and cream in a large mixing bowl. Add the bread cubes, bacon, garlic and onions, and 2 cups of the Cheddar cheese. Whisk in the salt, pepper, and parsley.
• Butter a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan. Pour the mixture into the pan and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake for 45 minutes, or until firm and brown.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Whisk together the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in bread cubes and 1 cup each Gouda and Parmesan cheeses.
• Remove and discard root ends and dark green tops of leeks. Cut in half lengthwise, and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove grit and sand.
• Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, and cook, stirring occasionally, 7 to 8 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Fold leek mixture and bacon into egg mixture. Pour into a lightly greased 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup each Gouda and Parmesan cheeses.
• Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes or until center is set, Let stand 5 minutes.