Bread is often considered a savory staple, serving as the base for sandwiches, bruschetta, and more. However, bread can also take on a sweet role in delicious desserts. From bread puddings and crisps to French toast and trifles, bread lends itself well to incorporating fruits, nuts, creamy custards, and other sweet elements. This article will explore a variety of easy and creative Dessert recipes using bread.
Dessert Recipes Using Bread
Bread Pudding
The dessert can be dressed up or down depending on the mix-ins. The beauty of bread pudding is that it can use up day-old or stale bread that might otherwise be thrown out. Challah, brioche, cinnamon raisin bread, and other sweet breads all work well. A basic bread pudding comes together with just a few ingredients. Soak bread cubes in a custard mixture of eggs, milk or cream, and sugar. Optional additions like dried fruits, chocolate chips, or caramel can be mixed right in. Bake until set and enjoy warm with a drizzle of sauce. Try a boozy bread pudding with a splash of rum, brandy, or amaretto stirred into the custard for a special treat. It is one of the best Dessert recipes using bread.
French Toast
While often considered a breakfast food, French toast is a delightful dessert, too. Soak thick slices of challah, brioche, or cinnamon bread in a custard of eggs, milk or cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and a sweetener like sugar or maple syrup. Cook in a buttered skillet until browned. Serve warm with fresh berries, powdered sugar, maple syrup, or caramel sauce. For an indulgent twist, sandwich slices of banana or other fruit between two pieces of French toast before cooking.
Bread Crisp
A bread crisp is like a cross between a bread pudding and a crisp fruit crumble. Crumble bread pieces with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a baking dish. Spread fresh or frozen fruit like peaches, berries, or apples over the bread mixture. Sprinkle a streusel topping of oats, nuts, brown sugar, and butter over the fruit. Bake it until the topping becomes golden brown. Enjoy warm with ice cream.
Strawberry Bread Pudding
Six slices challah bread, cubed
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Whipped cream for serving
In a 9×9 inch baking dish, layer half the bread cubes and top with 1 cup strawberries. Whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour half the custard mixture over the bread and fruit. Top with remaining bread and fruit, then pour over the remaining custard. Cover it and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes. Let cool slightly, then serve warm.
Bread Pudding Trifle
Layers of bread pudding, custard, fresh fruit, and whipped cream make an elegant presentation in this no-bake trifle dessert. Feel free to use your favorite bread pudding recipe from above.
Ingredients:
Bread pudding, chilled
Bread and Butter Trifle
For the trifle, you will need:
– Bread pudding (use your favorite recipe)
– Vanilla custard (recipe below)
– Fresh berries such as raspberries, blueberries, blackberries
– Whipped cream
– Mint leaves for garnish
Make the bread pudding according to your chosen recipe. Once chilled, cut or tear into 1-inch pieces and lay in the bottom of a trifle bowl or large glass serving dish. It is one of the greatest Dessert recipes using bread.
VANILLA CUSTARD
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Take a saucepan and heat milk in it. Sugar and Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl until the mixture is thickened. Slowly whisk the milk into the yolk mix to harden it. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook; stir constantly with a spoon until it is thick enough to cover the back of the spoon. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Transfer to a bowl, lay plastic wrap directly on the surface, and refrigerate until chilled for at least 2 hours.
To assemble, spoon a layer of chilled vanilla custard over the bread pudding pieces. Top with a layer of fresh berries. Dollop whipped cream over berries. Repeat layering, ending with a dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with mint leaves. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Bread and Jam Trifle
Layer pieces of bread such as challah or brioche with your favorite jam and whipped cream for a simpler, no-bake trifle. Try combinations like strawberry jam with mascarpone cream or lemon curd with crème fraiche. Layer bread, jam, and cream in a glass bowl and garnish with fresh berries. No baking is required for this easy, colorful dessert.
Bread Pudding Brownies
Brownies get an extra texture and flavor by adding bread cubes baked right in. Use your favorite brownie recipe and stir in 1-2 cups of bread cubes and other mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts or dried fruit. Bake it until a toothpick in the middle reaches out with moist crumbs. Enjoy straight from the pan or serve with ice cream. Cinnamon raisin bread or banana nut bread work especially well.
Bread Crumb Blondies
For a lighter bar cookie, swap the chocolate in a classic blondie recipe for bread crumbs. Use fresh or dried bread crumbs that absorb the brown sugar syrup and become chewy nuggets in the bars. Top with chocolate chips, nuts or caramel for extra richness. Bake until the edges are golden brown. Cut into squares and enjoy.
Sticky Toffee Bread Pudding
Inspired by England’s classic sticky toffee pudding cake, this bread pudding takes the flavors up a notch. Soak bread cubes in a custard of dates, brown sugar, butter, cream and eggs. Bake until set, then drizzle with toffee sauce and serve warm. The sweet bread soaks up all the decadent toffee flavors.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, bread takes on new life in these Dessert recipes using bread. Sweet bread preparations make easy yet satisfying treats, from bread puddings and crisps to trifles and bars. Explore mixing and matching your favorite bread varieties and mix-ins for endless flavor combinations. With so many options, bread will become a go-to ingredient for home bakers looking to dress up after dinner with something sweet.