Sticky Bun Bread Pudding
 
Ingredients
For the bread pudding:
  • 7 (8-inch) loaves French bread, cubed
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 quart whole milk
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the topping:
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the bread pudding:
  1. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, sugars, cinnamon, and salt and whisk until well combined.
  2. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated to make a custard. Pour the custard over the bread cubes and use a rubber spatula to press the bread into the custard until it is saturated. Add the butter and mix again until the butter is evenly distributed. Let the bread soak for a minimum of 12 to 24 hours, covered and refrigerated.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish, and place the bread pudding mixture into the dish.
For the topping:
  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and whisk constantly until the mixture starts to bubble. Continue whisking for 2 minutes.
  2. While the butter mixture is hot, pour it over the bread pudding and spread it evenly. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
  3. Remove the foil and continue baking until the custard is set and the topping is browned, bubbling, and sticky, about 25 minutes.
  4. Allow the bread pudding to set up and cool for at least 30 minutes before serving warm.
Notes
Kitchen Tip
I frequently make a second batch of the topping to spoon over the warm bread pudding served with vanilla ice cream.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/sticky-bun-bread-pudding/