Roasted Carrot & Bacon Bread Pudding
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Author Notes: I love savory bread puddings. Here, the carrots' sweetness is deepened by roasting them right along with the baking bacon. This is on the tender end of the bread pudding scale thanks to the croissants, which lend it an almost silken texture. Proportions are simple, so it is easy to increase or decrease the quantity: 1/2 croissant per person; 2 carrots, 1 slice of bacon, 1 egg per person; 3 times as many ounces of cream as number of eggs. Makes a heavenly side dish or perfect lunch served with a salad dressed with a good tart vinaigrette as the yang to the pudding's sweet-ish tones. - boulangere - boulangere
Food52 Review: This recipe is pure heaven! I love the roasted sweetness of the carrots with the saltiness of the bacon. Then in come the flavors of garlic, onion and fresh marjoram that give a very satisfying depth. Boulangere is so right when she describes the texture as silken. With the eggs, croissants, and cream, this is completely satisfying and sure to disappear when served with any meal. - ashley_samuel_pierson - ashleypiersonchasesdinner
Serves 4
- 8 carrots, 6 if they're large
- 4 slices really good thick-cut bacon, or more if you're so inclined
- 1 small onion, fine dice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh marjoram leaves, chopped
- 2 stale croissants
- 4 eggs
- 12 ounces cream
- Sea or kosher salt and pepper to taste
- Soft butter for ramekins
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel carrots and cut on a pretty diagonal into 1/4" thick rounds. Blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain, but do not cool in icy water. Spread out on a half sheet pan lined with parchment. Leave room for the bacon, and lay out strips at one end of the carrots. Bake until bacon is nicely crisp and carrots begin to caramelize. Miraculously, both happen at the same time in about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature. When bacon is cool enough to handle, roughly chop into 1/2" pieces. Roll the carrots around in the bacon drippings. Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees.
- While carrots and bacon are baking, melt butter in a skillet and sauté onions with a pinch of salt and the marjoram leaves until onions just begin to brown. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool at room temperature.
- When carrots, bacon, and the onion mixture have lost most of their heat, break eggs into a large mixing bowl. Whisk to break yolks. Add cream, salt, and pepper and whisk to blend. Split croissants in half through the middle, then cut into 1" cubes. Fold into cream mixture. Add onions, carrots, and bacon and fold together. The croissants are so tender that the mixture only needs to sit for about 15 minutes for them to soak up some of the lovely eggs and cream. They'll take on a beautiful, silky consistency when the custard is baked.
- Fill a 2 quart saucepan halfway with hot water and bring to a boil.
- Run a pastry brush over soft butter and brush the insides of 4 8 ounce ramekins. Fill ramekins to within 1/2" of tops. Set ramekins in a large baking pan.
- Set baking pan in oven with the front edge hanging off the rack an inch or so. Carefully pour in boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Nudge baking pan the rest of the way into the oven. Bake until bread puddings are puffed, golden brown, and tops are springy to the touch, 30-35 minutes. Carefully remove baking pan from the oven and lift puddings from the hot water. I use a canning jar lifter for this. Serve immediately, of course!
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Root Vegetable Side
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Carrot Recipe
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over 1 year ago ashleypiersonchasesdinner
Hi Boulangere,
You are so welcome! It was so well deserved. In fact, I am making this again today! It is seriously delicious!
over 1 year ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Oh my goodness, I envy you. And thank you so much. I am very glad you enjoy it.
over 1 year ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
ashley samuel pierson, thank you for such a gentle and kind review. I am delighted that you enjoyed the flavors and textures so much. Thank you profoundly.
over 1 year ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Served this with lunch today. Swooned! Me included.
over 1 year ago EmilyC
This sounds divine, boulangere, and would make a lovely dish for a holiday brunch!
over 1 year ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thanks, EmilyC, I love it for brunch, too.
over 1 year ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
I'll post a more interesting photo tomorrow.
over 1 year ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
But this isn't it. Good grief, I just posted a photo of Sweet Potato Whole Wheat Bread to this recipe. Here's crossing my fingers that the resident geniuses at food52 can bail me out. Sheesh.
over 1 year ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Under the photo you can click on "add photo" which brings you to an edit media screen. Click on "library", and you can remove the picture you don't want.
over 1 year ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
You're my hero.
over 1 year ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Finally, the right photo in the right place. Good grief.
over 1 year ago sdebrango
Suzanne is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Great idea, I really love a savory bread pudding.
over 1 year ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Thanks, me, too! Great cold weather food.
about 2 years ago ChefMommy
This sounds delicious! Is there a way to do it without the ramekins as I currently do not own any?
about 2 years ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Of course! Use a cake pan or a pie tin, and be sure to spray it well with pan spray. Pour in the filling, set it in a baking sheet and follow the water bath directions above. You'll be baking it longer by maybe 10 minutes or so. It will be done when puffed and golden brown, and when you tap it in the center with your finger and it feels a bit firm (but not too firm, or it will have a rubbery texture - yuk!). To serve, cut into wedges. Let us know how it turns out, by all means!
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
What a great idea!
about 2 years ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
You are so kind! I hope you like it!