Description
This Savory Bread Pudding is a comforting and elegant dish featuring toasted French bread cubes soaked in a rich custard with melted leeks and shredded gruyere cheese. Perfect as a hearty brunch or a flavorful side, it combines tender buttery leeks with creamy dairy, aromatic herbs, and nutmeg, all baked to a golden, puffed perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread and Cheese
- 12 cups bread cubes (about one large French bread loaf), toasted
- 2 cups gruyere cheese, shredded (or comte or Emmentaler cheese)
Melted Leeks
- 3 cups leeks (about 3-4 leeks depending on size), white and light green parts only
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Custard
- 4 large eggs
- 4 cups milk
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or brown mustard)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper (or black pepper)
- 1 tablespoon chives or scallions
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (fresh grated preferred)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Leeks: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Cut the leeks into 1/2 inch rounds, using only the white and light green parts, then place them in a bowl of lukewarm water to rinse and remove dirt. Stir the leeks in the water several times and allow the dirt to settle to the bottom.
- Sauté Leeks: Strain the rinsed leeks well. Heat an un-oiled skillet over medium-high heat and add the leeks. Season with salt and pepper and stir for 5 minutes as they begin to soften. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in the butter and olive oil, then cover the pan. Cook, stirring every 10 minutes, for 20-30 minutes until the leeks are tender and melting.
- Toast Bread: While the leeks cook, cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and spread them on a sheet pan. Toast in the oven for about 20 minutes until golden and dry, turning or mixing halfway through to brown evenly. Transfer toasted bread cubes into a large bowl.
- Prepare Custard: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and half and half until smooth. Add Dijon mustard, salt, thyme, chives, nutmeg, and white pepper, then whisk again to combine thoroughly.
- Combine Bread and Leeks: Add the tender buttery leeks to the toasted bread cubes and toss gently but thoroughly to distribute evenly.
- Assemble Bread Pudding: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle ½ cup of the shredded cheese on the bottom. Spread half of the leek and bread mixture evenly over the cheese, then sprinkle with another ½ cup of cheese. Add the remaining bread and leek mixture on top.
- Add Custard and Cheese: Mix the custard again and carefully pour enough over the bread mixture to just cover it, pressing gently on the bread cubes to help them soak it up. Let it sit for 10 minutes so the bread absorbs the custard. Then pour the remaining custard over the pudding, allowing some bread cubes to remain visible. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the middle of the oven and bake for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the pudding is nicely puffed and lightly browned on top.
Notes
- Use sturdy French bread for the best texture; slightly stale bread works well for soaking up the custard.
- Freshly grated nutmeg enhances the flavor compared to pre-ground nutmeg.
- Feel free to swap gruyere cheese with comte or Emmentaler for variety.
- Allowing the soaked bread to rest before baking ensures better custard absorption and a moist pudding.
- This dish can be prepared a day ahead and gently reheated in the oven before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approximately 1/10th of recipe)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
