Stale Sourdough Is The Perfect Excuse For The Best Bread Pudding

The joys of sourdough bread include the delicious, sharp taste of a nice slice of bread complete with a spongy inside and crusty outside. The inevitable fallout from such enjoyment, however, is the stale remnants from when your unfinished bread starts to dry out. Stale sourdough bread may seem like it's due for a one-way trip to the disposal bin or compost pile, but fear not. What was once known as "poor man's pudding" in 13th century England is now a wonderful way to reduce food waste and utilize leftover bread by turning it into a scrumptious, decadent dessert. What might look like a crusty pile of useless carbohydrates is actually the key to best bread pudding. Cubed up stale sourdough bread adds a delightfully flavor-rich take on this beloved classic.

For the best results — and to avoid the dreaded mushy bread pudding — it is imperative to start from stale. That's right, stale bread is the ultimate base for a bread pudding that will stand up to a thick, creamy custard, giving the right consistency and texture for baking to perfection without falling flat. Sourdough is an excellent style for this because of its characteristic crust and firmness, particularly when it goes stale. Further, the flavors present in a sourdough bread are usually tangy and, obviously, sour, sometimes with a slight hint of bitterness. This lends itself perfectly to balancing out the sweeter flavors of the custard and other mix-ins, avoiding the risk of the sweetness becoming overpowering and unappetizing.

Using stale sourdough bread opens up lots of opportunities to elevate your basic dessert to a rich bread pudding. The sourness of the bread balances out sweeter flavors, letting you get extra adventurous when selecting your mix-ins or toppings. Classic sweet additions to a sourdough bread pudding can include chocolate chips, dried or fresh fruit, and brown sugar.

For an extra fun flourish, brûlée the brown sugar in your bread pudding after baking. You can also try cooking stone fruit or mixed berries into a hearty compote to top your bread pudding or mix in with your cubed sourdough pieces. Canned pumpkin mixed with warming pie spices also makes a great addition to a sourdough bread pudding.

Because stale sourdough is especially dry and crusty, it will accommodate all of the sauce and custard elements in your bread pudding while maintaining structural integrity. Top your sourdough bread pudding with a luxurious, creamy dulce de leche glaze or a bourbon sauce to elevate the richness of your dessert. For an extra decadent sourdough bread pudding, amp up the butter element and add more sauce. Any way you choose to enhance your bread pudding, the best start comes from stale sourdough bread and an adventurous attitude in the kitchen.