Banana Bread Pudding

Do we have any bread pudding haters out there? It's shocking, I know, to think about anyone who would pass up an opportunity to enjoy this delectable treat. But up until a couple years ago, I too avoided bread pudding after several  bad experiences involving excessively boozy custard and raisins (blegh!). But then Restaurant Week forced me into giving it another chance at Circle Bistro in DC. I was shocked by how balanced the dessert is––it's rich, but not too sweet, it's both soft and crunchy, it's ingredients feel decedant but are really so simple!

banana bread pudding pre-baking

A couple nights ago, I needed a dessert to bring to a potluck and all I had was a hard-as-a-rock baguette and some perfectly ripe bananas, so naturally banana bread pudding was to be made. Tastespotting brought me to this lovely recipe at Evil Shenanigans and it was perfect! I think the texture of the whole pudding is much nicer when you cut both the banana and the bread in big pieces. The custard portion of the recipe was also super easy and involved no cooking before baking. I let my bread soak in the custard mixture for about 30 minutes because of the huge pieces of bread I used, but otherwise I followed the recipe almost exactly. Check it out, folks!

Banana Bread Pudding 
from Evil Shenanigans

serves 6-8

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups milk, 2% or higher

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla beans, or two teaspoons vanilla extract

6 cups cubed day old French bread

2 bananas, sliced

2 tablespoons sugar

Heat the oven to 350F and spray a medium casserole dish with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl whisk together the butter, milk, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla. Whisk to mix.

Add the cubed bread and fold to coat. Let stand for five minutes, folding the mixture occasionally to make sure the custard is evenly absorbed. Fold in the sliced bananas.

Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and evenly sprinkle the two tablespoons of sugar over the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed all over. Allow to stand for thirty minutes before serving.

banana bread pudding post-baking