RECIPE: Whiskey-Soaked Apricot and Pistachio Bread Pudding

I try to keep my food waste to a minimum, which includes keeping a lot of odds and ends in my freezer. Broccoli stalks for soups, cauliflower leaves for stir fries, citrus rinds for baking and sauces…. Just to name a few.

It takes me a while to eat loaves of bread, so I look for creative ways of using any old leftovers. One of my favourite things to do is transform it into bread pudding. I was a little ambitious with my bread purchases last week, so here we are

For my latest pudding, I used stale brioche feuilletée + dark rye + grain sourdough, standard cinnamon custard base, dried apricots soaked in whiskey aged in old Sauternes barrels, and crushed pistachios. Served with whipping cream, maple syrup, fresh rosemary, and bee pollen Tasted incredible with yesterday’s advent calendar champagne, Piot Sevillano Essence de Terroir Demi-Sec. Coincidentally, this one was meant to accompany desserts, and my pudding is similar to the suggested food pairings! Delicious.

Find the recipe below:

INGREDIENTS

~ 1 loaf of stale bread, cubed (I used 1/2 brioche feuilletée and 1/2 grainy dark rye)

500 mL whole milk

50g unsalted butter

2 large eggs (*note that when I made this, both my eggs had double yolks!)

100g sugar

1 large spoon ground cinnamon

Pinch salt

A few drops vanilla extract

10-12 dried apricots, chopped in 0.5cm x 0.5cm cubes

Enough whiskey to cover apricots in a glass (~200mL). Best to use one that is sweet and not peated

Handful of unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped/crushed (if using salted pistachios, omit extra salt from recipe)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pack chopped apricots in a glass and cover with whiskey. Let stand for ~10 minutes, until most of whiskey is absorbed by fruit.
2. Heat oven to 177°C (350°F).
3. In a saucepan, heat milk and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Milk should be hot.
4. In a large bowl, mix eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in bread cubes, pistachios, apricots, and any leftover whiskey.
5. Carefully stir in milk mixture. Pour into baking paper-lined pan.
6. Bake uncovered ~45 minutes, or until knife/skewer inserted 3 cm from edge comes out clean. Serve warm with whipping cream, maple syrup, rosemary, bee pollen.

Enjoy!