Coconut Bread Pudding

Updated May 1, 2024

Coconut Bread Pudding
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
45 minutes plus one hour's resting
Rating
5(260)
Notes
Read community notes

Laurent Torondel, the chef of BLT Steak and BLT Fish, developed this recipe for tropical bread pudding. It's rich and luxurious, but quite easy to assemble. Thin challah slices are layered on top of one another then drenched with a boozy mix of eggs, sugar, cream and coconut milk. It's baked in a bain-marie, then slid under the broiler for a few minutes to achieve a crackly-brown top. —Dana Bowen

Featured in: THE CHEF: LAURENT TOURONDEL; A Bird With a Secret Under Its Skin

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • 6large eggs
  • 1⅛cups sugar, more for topping dish
  • 2cups heavy cream
  • 113½-ounce can coconut milk
  • 2tablespoons dark rum
  • 10slices challah or brioche, ⅓.-inch thick
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

611 calories; 38 grams fat; 25 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 55 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 31 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 266 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine eggs and 1⅛ cups sugar. Mix until smooth. In a small pan, bring cream to a boil. With mixer running at medium-low speed, slowly add hot cream. Add coconut milk and rum, and mix again just until smooth. Allow mixture to rest at room temperature for one hour.

  2. Step 2

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a kettle with water and place over high heat to bring to a boil. In an 8½-by-12-inch baking dish, arrange challah slices so they overlap in two columns. Pour custard evenly over top, and press down lightly with a spatula. Place dish in a large, deep pan, like a roasting pan. Carefully pour in boiling water so that it comes about halfway up the sides of baking dish. Bake until custard is set but not too firm, 30 to 35 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Sprinkle liberally with sugar, and caramelize it with a kitchen torch or by placing it under a broiler for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve, scooping out individual portions.

Ratings

5 out of 5
260 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Yes, that took me back too. I believe it should be one 13-1/2 ounce can.

2 tablespoons of rum hardly constitutes "boozy." Especially after baking. I'd double that, at least.

I followed the recipe to the letter. The flavor was absolutely delicious, but the custard did not come close to being set after 35 minutes, and 4 minutes under the broiler did nothing to caramelize the sugar on top. Next time (and there will be a next time) I will let the bread soak in the custard liquid for 45 - 60 minutes first, and bake it longer. I'm not sure that the water bath adds anything, no other recipe for bread pudding that I looked at uses it.

Delicious day of, OTHER WORLDLY next day.

Delicious! I also added some shredded coconut flesh and raisins to it and it turned out great!

Made half the quantity for my small family- totally delicious! Didn’t get much coconut taste- will add some coconut flakes next time.

I've made this a lot of times and it's always delicious--big hit with guests. I double the rum and also add a teaspoon of vanilla and a half teaspoon of coconut extract--makes a huge difference in the taste. I also use a little brown sugar (1/4 cup) in place of some of the plain sugar, brown some coconut under the broiler and sprinkle between the layers. Baking time is WAY MORE than indicated. it's done when it starts to puff up slightly and is golden brown.

I used a water bath. Based on the many reviews that allege cooking time is underestimated, I set a timer for a full 35 minutes, and ended up with a slightly overcooked custard.

13.5 oz is 400 ml

I've made this a lot of times and it's always delicious--big hit with guests. I double the rum and also add a teaspoon of vanilla and a half teaspoon of coconut extract--makes a huge difference in the taste. I also use a little brown sugar (1/4 cup) in place of some of the plain sugar, brown some coconut under the broiler and sprinkle between the layers. Baking time is WAY MORE than indicated. it's done when it starts to puff up slightly and is golden brown.

Don’t put it under the broiler…. It caught on fire !!

The sauce was great. The fish, meh…

Used the spirit of the recipe, with cubed almost-stale sourdough (crusts included), 1 can coconut milk, 1 c oat milk, 4 eggs, .5 c each brown and white sugar, raisins, a sprinkle of coconut flakes, and a healthy glue of dark rum. No mixer, used a whisk. Let it sit in the fridge for an hour before baking for 40 minutes, no water bath. Turned out great and probably less rich than the original.

This stuff was amazing. I couldn’t eat enough. I concur with other commenters who said the water bath was unnecessary. I baked mine without one and the final result was absolutely great. Just keep checking in the final part of your bake time to make sure you take the dish out at the right time!

Thought this was a perfect, simple recipe - and a good base if you want to do some tweaking. I had some overripe bananas, so I mixed them in. Next time, instead of caramelizing more sugar on top, I'm doing to try toasting some shredded coconut.

Made half the quantity for my small family- totally delicious! Didn’t get much coconut taste- will add some coconut flakes next time.

Delicious! I also added some shredded coconut flesh and raisins to it and it turned out great!

I followed the recipe to the letter. The flavor was absolutely delicious, but the custard did not come close to being set after 35 minutes, and 4 minutes under the broiler did nothing to caramelize the sugar on top. Next time (and there will be a next time) I will let the bread soak in the custard liquid for 45 - 60 minutes first, and bake it longer. I'm not sure that the water bath adds anything, no other recipe for bread pudding that I looked at uses it.

Added some diced canned pineapple to make it Pina Colada bread pudding, then topped with some shredded unsweetened coconut. Also cut up the challah in dice instead of slices. Delicious!

Delicious day of, OTHER WORLDLY next day.

2 tablespoons of rum hardly constitutes "boozy." Especially after baking. I'd double that, at least.

1/2 ounce can of coconut milk???

There's a 13 before the 1/2. :)

Yes, that took me back too. I believe it should be one 13-1/2 ounce can.

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Credits

Laurent Tourondel

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