Easy Haitian Bread Pudding with Caramel Rum Butter Sauce
This Easy Haitian Bread Pudding with Caramel Rum Butter Sauce is one of my favorite bread pudding recipes. This delicious dish is versatile enough to serve as dessert or breakfast.
The raisins soaked in Rum Barbancourt add a wonderful flavor to the bread pudding recipe, and the homemade caramel sauce is the best way to complete this dish. The main ingredient, Haitian bread, is the star of this recipe.
What is Haitian Bread
Haitian Bread is a type of Caribbean bread made by Haitian. Not all bread is the same, but Caribbean bread seems to have one similarity, they are on the heavier and meaty side. The texture is slightly sweet and soft.
The bread comes in different shapes and sizes depending on the baker, the Caribbean island, and the ingredients used. One of the best ways to enjoy this bread is warm with cheese or butter with hot tea or hot chocolate.
This recipe is originally from Better Homes and Gardens. I substituted the French baguette for Haitian bread and the whiskey for rum Barbancourt (our National Rum). Today, we are making bread pudding with Haitian Bread!
What is bread pudding?
Bread pudding is a classic dessert that almost resembles French Toast, in my opinion. Both bread pudding and french toast contain practically the same ingredients. They are both delicious and loved by everyone.
Successfully making a bread pudding takes patience. You must have the proper bread, the right amount of custard, and enough hungry mouths to enjoy because you can never make enough. This is one of those recipes that you simply cannot make just a small batch if you have a huge family.
A Bread pudding recipe consists of pieces of bread soaked in an egg and milk mixture referred to as custard and baked until golden brown. It is a classic dish, especially when you have too much bread and when the bread is starting to harden and become too crusty to eat.
Most people serve their bread pudding dish with honey, caramel sauce, or maple syrup. Many people enjoy it with vanilla ice cream. Simple, delicious, and one of the best ways to enjoy it is dessert style.
The ingredients you need to make the recipe
- Haitian Bread: you can buy bread at almost any Haitian Bakery.
- Raisins: at your local store or Amazon
- Rum Barbancourt: this item is mainly found at most liquor stores. Rum Barbancourt is a very flavorful Haitian rum used by many renowned chefs and cooks.
- Eggs: buy large eggs, preferably.
- Heavy Cream: you may have to spend a little money as heavy cream can be costly.
- Sugar: white sugar if you have any. I use organic sugar.
- Vanilla Extract: purchase this ingredient or make your own to save money.
- Ground Cinnamon is a good spice for bread pudding, french toast, and oatmeal cookies.
- Ground Nutmeg: another spice great for baked goods.
- Ginger Powder: this ingredient is both suitable for baking and cooking.
- Unsalted Butter: use unsalted because you don’t need the dish to be on the salty side. The butter also is used to spread over the bread slices. And the bread contains salt.
- Salt: you can use kosher or sea salt
How to prepare the raisins
Preparing the raisins is simple. Place them in a bowl and pour the rum over it. Let them soak for about 1 hour – enough time for you to prepare the remaining ingredients.
How to make the bread pudding recipe
This recipe is usually made with stale bread or day-old bread. Before starting the recipe, make sure you have a large bowl to add the bread slices and the milk and egg mixture. A baking dish is also recommended.
Whisk together the eggs, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla in a large bowl. Slice the bread into slices – about 1/2 – 1-inch thick. Generously spread one side of each slice of bread with the unsalted butter. Arrange the bread slices in the bottom of the prepared baking dish, overlapping the slices.
Drain the raisins, reserving the rum. Sprinkle the soaked raisins over the slices, tucking some between the bread slices. Pour the custard over the bread; cover with foil and let it soak in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
**This step is necessary so the bread slices can absorb the flavors of the custards and the soaked raisins.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the baking dish in a large roasting pan or a baking sheet pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until the pudding is set and the top is golden. Carefully remove the baking dish from the water bath and let cool slightly on a wire rack (the butter will soak back into the bread as it cools). Serve pudding warm with the caramel sauce spooned over the top.
** Do not try to remove the bread pudding while it is very hot. It is recommended to let it sit and cool for a few minutes. Otherwise, it will fall apart.
How to make the Caramel Sauce
To make the caramel sauce, melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the sugar, salt, cream, and 3 tablespoons of reserved rum. Bring to boiling; reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring frequently. Serve pudding warm with the caramel sauce spooned over and possibly topped with toasted shredded coconut.
Notes and Tips
- Having the correct ratio of bread and custard is essential to making this dish successfully.
- Using good ingredients is best. For example, the rum, the butter, the raisins, and the heavy cream must be quality ingredients.
- If you want to substitute the bread, I recommend using a ciabatta or french baguette. You want bread with great texture and good flavor for bread pudding.
- You may want to place a large baking sheet pan on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any water spills
- Serve warm with ice cream, fruits, or topped with whipped cream, dried fruits, or toasted coconut flakes.
Easy Haitian Bread Pudding with Caramel Rum Butter Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup raisins
- ½ cup Rum Barbancourt
- 5 eggs
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 – 6 mini loaves of Haitian bread – you may need more or less depending on the size
- ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
Salted Caramel Rum Butter Sauce Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter cubed
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Whisk together the eggs, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Slice the bread into slices – about 1/2 – 1-inch thick. Generously spread one side of each slice of bread with the unsalted butter. Arrange the bread slices in the bottom of the prepared baking dish, overlapping the slices.
- Drain the raisins, reserving the rum. Sprinkle the soaked raisins over the slices, tucking some between the bread slices.
- Pour the custard over the bread; cover with foil and let it soak in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
**This step is necessary so the bread slices can absorb the flavors of the custards and the soaked raisins.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Place the baking dish in a large roasting pan or a baking sheet pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dish.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the pudding is set and the top is golden.
- Carefully remove the baking dish from the water bath and let cool slightly on a wire rack (the butter will soak back into the bread as it cools).
- Serve pudding warm with the caramel sauce spooned over the top.
** Do not try to remove the bread pudding while it is very hot. It is recommended to let it sit and cool for a few minutes. Otherwise, it will fall apart.
How to make the Caramel Sauce
- To make the caramel sauce, melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in the sugar, salt, cream, and 3 tablespoons of reserved rum.
- Bring to boiling; reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring frequently.
- Serve pudding warm with the caramel sauce spooned over and possibly topped with toasted shredded coconut.
Notes
- Having the correct ratio of bread and custard is essential to making this dish successfully.
- Using good ingredients is best. For example, the rum, the butter, the raisins, and the heavy cream must be quality ingredients.
- If you want to substitute the bread, I recommend using a ciabatta or french baguette. You want bread with great texture and good flavor for bread pudding.
Add more bread slices if necessary. The loaves may not look similar to the ones in the photo above. - The custard mixture will be enough for 5 – 6 loaves about the size of the ones in the photo.
- Serve warm with ice cream, fruits, or topped with whipped cream, dried fruits, or toasted coconut flakes.
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
