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Bananas Foster Bread Pudding

5.0(913)

Here is a nod both to the original bananas Foster at Brennan’s restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans and to the luxe version of bananas baba au rhum that the Louisiana chef Allison Vines-Rushing once cooked at Jack’s Luxury Oyster Bar in the East Village. Silky and rich, deep with the flavors of bananas, rum and custard, it is not much work to make, and pays off in incredible flavor. Do not be afraid to use an even darker sugar than the brown called for in the recipe, though molasses may be a step too far. You are looking for a deep caramel hue and flavor in the sauce, to complement the rum and the fruit. (And if you're looking to try the original, make our bananas foster recipe.)

by Sam Sifton

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Dessert

Servings

8 servings

Total time

1h 15m

Calories / serving

406 kcal

Ingredients (11)

serves

4 large eggsegg
2 cups whole milkmilk
1/4 cup plus ½ cup brown sugarsugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extractvanilla-extract
1 tablespoon plus ½ cup dark rumrum
1 teaspoon plus ½ teaspoon kosher saltsalt
6 cups cubed brioche, approximately ½ loafbrioche
5 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into coinsbanana
1 tablespoon white sugarsugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butterbutter
1/4 cup heavy creamheavy-cream

Instructions (4 steps)

01Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, ¼ cup of brown sugar, vanilla, 1 tablespoon rum and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the bread, and stir so that it absorbs the liquid. Set aside to soak.
02Butter a 2-quart baking dish, and place it on a baking sheet. Line the bottom of the dish with banana coins, then spoon about ½ of the soaked bread over them. Top with banana coins, and spoon the remaining soaked bread over the top. Bake for 40 minutes, then sprinkle with the tablespoon of white sugar. Continue baking until the pudding is puffed and golden on top, approximately 50 to 60 minutes total.