Paula Deen Chocolate Bread Pudding with Rum Toffee Sauce

Paula Deen chocolate bread pudding with rum toffee sauce is a rich, custardy dessert with Hawaiian bread, semi-sweet chocolate and pecans that comes together in 1 hour 30 minutes. This easy Southern comfort food dessert fits holiday table dinners, potluck spreads and Sunday dinner, and it bakes in one dish.

Let the soaked bread cubes stand for the full 15 minutes before you fold in the chocolate and pecans, because that is when the cream sinks in. Skip it and the pudding bakes up patchy, with dry crusty tops over a loose custard.

Paula uses sweet Hawaiian bread instead of day-old French loaf, so the cubes turn soft and almost cake-like without any drying out first. The rum toffee sauce also keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, so you can make it ahead and just rewarm it while the pudding rests.

Paula Deen Chocolate Bread Pudding with Rum Toffee Sauce

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Calories

780

kcal

Cubes of sweet bread soak up a creamy custard, then bake with melted chocolate and crunchy pecans until the center sets. A warm, buttery rum toffee sauce poured over the top finishes each serving.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf cut into 1-inch cubes Hawaiian bread
  

• 2 3/4 cups divided heavy whipping cream
  

• 2 cups whole milk
  

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons, divided sugar
  

• 2 1/2 sticks divided, 1/2 stick melted Butter
  

• 4 large eggs
  

• 8 (1 oz) squares finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate squares
  

• 1 cup chopped pecans
  

• 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
  

• 3/4 cup dark rum
  

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Directions

• Prep the oven and dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Then put the Hawaiian bread cubes in a large bowl.
• Make the custard: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the cream, the milk, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 stick melted butter and the eggs. Pour it over the bread cubes and stir until every piece is coated.
• Let the bread soak: Let the bowl stand for 15 minutes so the bread can drink up the custard. Once it has soaked, stir in the chopped chocolate and pecans.
• Fill the baking dish: Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Drizzle 1/2 cup cream over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
• Bake the pudding: Bake for about 1 hour, until the center is set. The top should look golden and the middle should no longer jiggle.
• Start the toffee sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar and 2 sticks butter and bring to a boil over medium heat. Then reduce the heat and stir in the 3/4 cup cream and the rum.
• Simmer and finish: Simmer the sauce for 4 minutes, then take it off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Let it cool a bit and spoon it over each serving of warm pudding.

Tools for this recipe

• Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use regular bread instead of Hawaiian bread?

Yes, brioche or challah works well since they are also soft and a little sweet. Plain white sandwich bread will taste less rich, so you may want to dry the cubes in the oven for a few minutes first.

Can I make the rum toffee sauce without alcohol?

You can swap the 3/4 cup rum for the same amount of heavy cream or whole milk. The sauce will taste more like a plain caramel, but it still pours and sets the same way.

How do I store and reheat leftover bread pudding?

Cover the dish and keep it in the fridge for a few days. Rewarm single portions in a 325°F oven or the microwave, and heat the sauce separately so it pours smoothly.

Can I assemble the pudding the night before?

I would not stir everything together that far ahead, since the bread gets too mushy sitting overnight. Make the toffee sauce a day or two early instead, and mix and bake the pudding the day you serve it.

What is the most common mistake with chocolate bread pudding?

Pulling it out too early is the big one, because a center that is not set turns soupy when you scoop it. Bake until the middle is firm, and chop the chocolate finely so it melts evenly through the custard.