You Know, Some Days Just Call for Comfort Food…
Hey there! So, you know those days when the world feels a bit… much? Or maybe it’s just raining outside, and you’ve got a loaf of bread that’s seen better days and some leftover rice? Yeah, that’s usually when I whip out this recipe. It’s a bit of a Franken-dessert, I guess – like bread pudding and rice pudding had a delicious, fruity baby. My grandma actually used to make a simple rice pudding, and my mom did a killer bread pudding, but combining them? Adding blueberries? And then this totally extra, but necessary, orange caramel sauce? Pure magic. I first messed around with this years ago after a disastrous attempt at a fancy souffle (don’t ask), and this felt like coming home. It’s forgiving, it’s warm, it’s gooey, and honestly, it just makes everything feel a bit brighter.
Why You’ll Probably End Up Loving This Too
Honestly? It’s like a warm hug in a bowl. I make this when I need something sweet and comforting, but I don’t want to fuss with anything complicated. It uses up leftovers (stale bread! cooked rice!), which always makes me feel like a kitchen hero (even if I just avoided throwing something out). My husband, who is usually a ‘chocolate or nothing’ guy, *devours* this. Like, asks for it specifically. Plus, the smell while it’s baking? Unbelievable. (Just try not to burn your nose on the oven door like I always seem to do!). And that sauce… oh man, that orange caramel sauce just elevates the whole thing from ‘nice pudding’ to ‘holy cow, I need more’.
Okay, Here’s What You’ll Need
Gather ’round, my friends. Most of this is pantry stuff, honest.
- About 4 cups (roughly half a good-sized loaf) of stale bread, cubed. Day-old is perfect, anything older just make sure it’s not moldy, obvs. Sourdough or challah work like a dream, but honestly? Whatever you got is fine. Even burger buns in a pinch!
- 2 cups cooked rice. Any kind! White, brown, jasmine, leftover form last night’s takeout… seriously, use it up.
- 4 large eggs.
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Good vanilla makes a difference, I always splurge a little on Nielsen-Massey if I can, but McCormick is totally fine too.
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- 3 cups milk. Whole milk gives the richest result, but 2% works. Haven’t tried non-dairy milks here, but I bet almond or oat would be okay, just maybe a little less creamy?
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries. If using frozen, don’t thaw ’em!
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted.
For the Orange Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup granulated sugar.
- 1/4 cup water.
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (or whipping cream).
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces.
- 1 tablespoon orange zest. This is key! Get it form a fresh orange, please.
- 1 teaspoon orange juice. Freshly squeezed is best.
- Pinch of salt.
Let’s Get Cooking! (It’s Easy, Promise)
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter.
- In a big bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. It’ll be pale yellow and frothy-ish.
- Whisk in the milk. This is your custard base.
- Add the cubed bread and cooked rice to the custard mixture. Gently fold it all together until everything is coated. This is where I usually sneak a taste of the plain custard base… don’t judge.
- Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes. This gives the bread a chance to soak up all that milky goodness. Give it another gentle stir partway through.
- Fold in the blueberries and melted butter. Try not to smush the blueberries too much, especially if they’re fresh.
- Pour the mixture into your greased baking dish. Spread it out kinda evenly. Don’t worry if some bits are sticking up, they’ll get lovely and toasty.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set (it shouldn’t be super jiggly in the middle). A knife inserted near the center should come out mostly clean, though it’ll be moist!
While it’s baking, let’s make that sauce…
- In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water for the caramel sauce. Don’t stir it yet! Just give the pan a gentle swirl to distribute the water.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat. Let it bubble and boil. Watch it like a hawk! Seriously, caramel goes from perfect to burnt in seconds. It will start to turn golden around the edges first, then the color will spread. Swirl the pan gently again if needed, but avoid stirring with a spoon, it can make it crystallize.
- Once the caramel is a beautiful amber color (like dark honey or light maple syrup), *carefully* remove it from the heat.
- Slowly, slowly pour in the heavy cream while whisking constantly. BE CAREFUL! It will bubble up violently. This is normal. Just keep whisking.
- Whisk in the butter pieces one at a time until they’re melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Stir in the orange zest, orange juice, and pinch of salt. Give it a good whisk.
- Let the sauce cool slightly. It will thicken as it cools.
Serve the warm pudding drizzled generously with the warm (or room temp, or even cold!) orange caramel sauce. Prepare for happy sighs.
Things I Learned the Hard Way (Notes Section!)
- Don’t use super fresh, soft bread. It just turns to mush. Stale is your friend here.
- If you use frozen blueberries, they’ll bleed a bit into the pudding, which is totally fine and makes pretty purple streaks! Fresh ones hold their shape better. Your call.
- Caramel is hot. Like, REALLY hot. Be super careful when adding the cream. Use a long whisk! I learned this form a minor burn incident, sigh.
- The pudding might puff up while baking but will settle down as it cools. Totally normal.
- Don’t overbake it! You want it set but still nice and moist in the center.
Trying Stuff Out (Variations)
I’ve played around with this. One time, I added chopped apples along with the blueberries, which was actually pretty good, kind of like a fall version. I also swapped the orange zest in the caramel for lemon zest once… it was okay, but didn’t have that same depth. Definitely prefer the orange. I tried making a dairy-free version using coconut milk and vegan butter, and while the pudding part worked alright, the caramel sauce was a nightmare – it just wouldn’t emulsify properly. So yeah, stick with dairy for the sauce on this one, probably.
Tools You’ll Need
Pretty basic stuff, honestly.
- Big mixing bowl
- Whisk
- 9×13 inch baking dish (a lasagna dish works great if you don’t have one this exact size)
- Medium saucepan (heavy-bottomed is best for the caramel, helps prevent burning. If you don’t have one, just be extra vigilant!)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Zester or microplane for the orange zest (a microplane is a game-changer for zest, trust me)
Keeping It Fresh (Storage)
Store any leftovers (lol, *if* there are any!) covered in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can gently reheat individual portions in the microwave or oven. The caramel sauce can be stored separately in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge; if it thickens too much, just warm it gently to loosen it up. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day!
How I Like to Serve It
Warm, always warm. With that orange caramel sauce absolutely poured all over it. A little dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side? Yes, please. My family usually just eats it right out of the dish with spoons while it’s still warm, standing in the kitchen. It’s kind of a tradition now.
Quick Pro Tips Learned Through Mistakes
- I once tried rushing the caramel step and walked away for ‘just a second’. Came back to a burnt, smoking mess that was impossible to clean. Don’t walk away form the caramel! Stay there and watch it.
- Make sure your bread is actually STALE. Soft bread just kinda dissolves.
- Don’t over-mix once the bread and rice are in the custard. You want chunks of bread, not bread paste.
- When you add the cream to the caramel, add it slowly and whisk continuously. I didn’t do this once and got a seize-up situation that was salvageable but a pain.
Burning Questions Answered (FAQ Time!)
Q: Can I use other fruits?
A: Yeah, probably! Cherries would be amazing. Or maybe mixed berries. Peaches could work too, but I’d probably pre-cook them a little so they don’t get tough. Experiment!
Q: What if I don’t have rice?
A: You could make a pure bread pudding! Just add another cup or two of bread cubes instead of the rice. The texture will be different, obviously, but still delicious. Or maybe just rice pudding? There are tons of great recipes out there, like this one over on a food blog I follow.
Q: Can I make this ahead of time?
A: You could assemble the pudding mixture (steps 1-6), cover it, and refrigerate it for a few hours before baking. The bread will soak up even more liquid. The sauce can definitely be made ahead and just rewarmed. I think it tastes better the next day anyway, after the flavors have really melded.
Q: My caramel seized up! Help!
A: Okay, don’t panic! Sometimes this happens. Put it back on low heat and gently stir constantly. The sugar crystals *might* dissolve back into the sauce. If it’s really bad, you might have to start over, unfortunately. That’s why watching it is key!
Q: What if I don’t have an orange for the zest?
A: You could just make a regular caramel sauce (skip the zest and juice). It’s still good, but you lose that bright, citrusy pop that makes this sauce special. You could also try a little lemon zest if that’s all you have, though I personally find orange works best here.
Okay, that’s about it! Go forth and make some delicious, comforting pudding. Let me know how it turns out!
Ingredients
- 4 cups day-old bread, cubed
- 1 cup cooked rice (preferably short-grain)
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar (for caramel)
- 1/4 cup water (for caramel)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Instructions
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1Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish.
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2In a large bowl, whisk together milk, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
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3Add the cubed bread, cooked rice, and blueberries to the milk mixture. Gently stir to coat everything evenly. Let stand for 10-15 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the liquid.
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4Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the pudding is set and golden brown on top.
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5While the pudding bakes, make the orange caramel sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. Heat over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, then stop stirring. Cook until the caramel turns a deep amber color. Carefully whisk in the heavy cream (it will bubble vigorously), then whisk in the butter, orange zest, and orange juice until smooth.
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6Let the pudding cool slightly before serving. Serve warm, drizzled generously with the orange caramel sauce.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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