This white chocolate bread pudding with amaretto sauce is the ultimate decadent dessert. Brioche bread is baked in a rich white chocolate custard with chopped pistachios and then drizzled with a buttery amaretto sauce.
A few years back, I had a white chocolate flavored bread pudding at a local restaurant and it was the best! It was rich, but not overly sweet and had the best velvety custard.
This is my version of that delicious dessert, made with the addition of chopped pistachios, brioche and a slightly sweet amaretto sauce.
This white chocolate bread pudding recipe is a simple dessert that is super easy to make. It would be the perfect dessert served after grilled italian steak, penne pomodoro or lemon chicken orzo soup.
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🍞 Ingredient notes
- Bread - Brioche is a sweet, soft bread that goes perfectly in this bread pudding. It has a slightly sweet flavor that lends itself perfectly to this dessert. You want to have a sturdy loaf of bread when doing a bread pudding. Challah, french bread or Italian bread would also be good otpions. Stale bread will help the custard to completely absorb into it. You can leave the bread out uncovered overnight, or you can lightly toast the bread cubes in the oven for 5 minutes to dry them out.
- Chocolate - Either white chocolate chips or a white chocolate bar that has been chopped into small pieces will work for this recipe. You will need 1 cup or approximately 6 ounces.
- Nuts - The pistachios and amaretto are the perfect flavor pairing that go so well with the white chocolate custard. Pecans, walnuts or sliced almonds are other alternatives that could be used.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Chocolate - Sprinkle 1 cup of white chocolate chips or chunks over the bread and pistachios for even more chocolate flavor and sweetness.
- Fruit - Fresh raspberries or chopped fresh strawberries would also be a great addition to sprinkle on with the pistachios.
🔪 Step by step instructions
First, butter a 9x13 baking dish or casserole pan or spray it with baking spray. Chop the brioche into large cubes and place bread cubes it in an even layer in the pan. Roughly chop the pistachios and sprinkle them evenly over the bread.
In a large saucepan heat the milk, heavy cream and sugar over medium heat until it the sugar dissolves and the milk mixture starts to steam and small bubbles form around the edges. Remove the pot off of the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract and the white chocolate.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until they are completely broken up. Take ¼ cup of the white chocolate sauce and slowly add it to the eggs, while whisking continuously, to temper the eggs.
Next, while whisking constantly, pour the egg mixture into the white chocolate cream mixture until the eggs are completely mixed into the sauce to make the custard.
Pour the white chocolate mixture over the bread mixture and using hands or the back of a spoon, press the bread cubes down, so they completely absorb the sauce.
Bake the bread pudding in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the top is evenly golden brown. After baking, let the bread pudding cool, while you make the amaretto sauce.
To make the sauce, heat the butter over low heat in a small pot or skillet. Once the butter is completely melted, whisk in the powdered sugar and amaretto, until sugar is completely melted. Serve the bread pudding with the warm amaretto sauce drizzled on top.
If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that I mention, be sure to look it up in the Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.
⭐ Expert tips
- Leave the bread out to dry overnight to become stale or toast in the oven for 5 minutes. This will help it to better absorb the custard mixture.
- Make sure to temper the eggs, by adding a small amount of the hot white chocolate cream mixture to it while whisking. This will help bring the temperature of the eggs up so that when you whisk it into the hot cream mixture, it doesn't scramble.
- Press the bread down into the custard mixture so that all of the bread absorbs the liquid and doesn't become too dry.
- Bake the bread pudding until it's just golden brown on top so it doesn't dry out.
💭 Frequently asked questions
Bread pudding keeps extremely well! It's a great make ahead dessert that can be easily rewarmed. The sauce served on top also helps to make sure it doesn't dry out.
⏲️ Make ahead instructions
This homemade bread pudding can be made up to 2 days ahead time. Let the bread pudding cool completely and then cover the dish in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve, reheat individual pieces drizzled in the amaretto sauce for 30 seconds in the microwave.
The entire pan of bread pudding can also be covered in foil and reheated in the oven until warmed through. Reheat the amaretto sauce in the microwave or over low heat on the stovetop. Top servings of the warm bread pudding with the amaretto sauce and and enjoy!
🥡 Storage suggestions
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days and can be reheated for 30 seconds in the microwave with the sauce on top.
🍰 More dessert recipes
If you loved this white chocolate bread pudding recipe, check out these other dessert recipes that I know you will love too!
- Easy Struffoli Recipe
- Cannoli Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling
- Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
- Boston Cream Pie
📖 Recipe
White Chocolate Bread Pudding
Ingredients
Bread Pudding
- 1 pound brioche bread
- 1 cup shelled pistachios
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 cup white chocolate chips approximately 6 ounces
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Amaretto Sauce
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup amaretto liqueur
Instructions
Bread Pudding
- Preheat the oven to 350˚ and grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter or baking spray.
- Roughly chop the brioche bread into larger cubes and the pistachios into smaller pieces.
- Spread the bread cubes in an even layer in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the pistachios evenly over the top.
- Whisk the eggs into small bowl until they are completely broken up. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, add the milk, cream and sugar. Heat over medium heat on the stovetop until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture starts to steam and small bubbles form around the edges. Remove off of the heat.
- Add the white chocolate chips and vanilla extract and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Take ¼ cup of the white chocolate cream mixture and slowly add to the egg mixture while whisking continuously.
- Then, slowly pour the egg mixture into the remaining cream mixture, whisking continuously until they it is completely incorporated.
- Pour the white chocolate custard sauce evenly over the bread and pistachios. Using hands or a wooden spoon, press the bread down until all of the bread is soaked by the custard.
- Bake the bread pudding in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Let the bread pudding cool slightly while the sauce is made.
Amaretto Sauce
- Melt the butter in a small skillet or pot over low heat.
- Once the butter is completely melted, whisk in the powdered sugar and amaretto. Continue to whisk until the no lumps of powdered sugar remain.
- Serve scoops of bread pudding, drizzled with the amaretto sauce on top.
Notes
- Leave the bread out to dry overnight to become stale or toast in the oven for 5 minutes. This will help it to better absorb the custard mixture.
- Make sure to temper the eggs, by adding a small amount of the hot white chocolate cream mixture to it while whisking. This will help bring the temperature of the eggs up so that when you whisk it into the hot cream mixture, it doesn't scramble.
- Press the bread down into the custard mixture so that all of the bread absorbs the liquid and doesn't become too dry.
- Just bake the bread pudding until it's just golden brown on top so it doesn't dry out.
Substitutions and Variations
- Bread - Other sturdy bread that could be used is challah, French or Italian bread.
- Chocolate - Use either white chocolate chips or a chopped up white chocolate bar. A cup of white chocolate chips or chunks may be sprinkled on the bread with the pistachios for even more chocolate.
- Nuts - Pecans, walnuts or sliced almonds are other nuts that can be used.
- Fruit - Fresh raspberries or chopped fresh strawberries would also be a great addition to sprinkle on with the pistachios.
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