Spring Council's Chocolate Bread Pudding With Candied Bacon
The chef and author shares a recipe from her debut cookbook, "Southern Roots"
This recipe brings together three pairings: chocolate and bourbon, bacon and bourbon, and maple syrup and bourbon. I should call this recipe bourbon food pairings, but it’s actually a not-so-classic Southern bread pudding. The bourbon adds oaky, vanilla, caramel, and spice flavors. The savory flavor comes from the topping of maple and black pepper candied bacon. I like to serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.
—Spring Council
Don’t miss Spring’s book!
Ingredients
Makes 6 to 8 servings
For the Bread Pudding
2 cups soft bread crumbs
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups milk
3 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
For the Candied Bacon
¼ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
6 strips of applewood smoked bacon
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Don’t miss Spring talking about this recipe on our baking pod!
Method
To make the Bread Pudding: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, sugar, cocoa, and baking powder.
In another bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, butter, bourbon, and vanilla. Stir the milk mixture and chocolate chips into the bread crumb mixture. Pour the pudding into a buttered 1-quart casserole dish. Bake the dish for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
To make the Candied Bacon: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Set a cooling rack on top of the foil.
In a bowl, mix together the brown sugar and pepper. Brush both sides of the bacon strips with the maple syrup and arrange them on the cooling rack. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the top sides of the bacon.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until done. Cool the bacon, cut into small pieces, and sprinkle over the pudding.
From Southern Roots by Spring Council. Reprinted by permission of Countryman Press, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company.
Please note, some of our links may earn us a small commission.