Croissant Bread Pudding

A dessert that looks as good as it tastes, easy to make and a fairly healthier dessert? Yes to all of it! This croissant bread pudding is gorgeous looking and tastes delicious. It also has an unusual ingredient that adds the same creaminess as the traditional dairy and eggs minus the these ingredients. Can you take a guess? While you think about it, I also want to point out that this recipe involves putting most of the ingredients in a blender, pouring it into the pan and letting the oven do most of the work after that. Yes, its as simple as that.

So whether you are planning to make this quick dessert for a brunch or as a special treat for a picnic, I can tell you this dessert is completely hands off! So go ahead and focus on your other dishes or your guests and this dessert will be ready to impress on time.

An upgrade to a classic and comforting dessert

Bread pudding is a classic dessert. I did not grow up eating it since it was not really a thing in India. However I have always heard so much about it, that I have long wanted to try some. I came across a recipe for this croissant version a while ago. It was however based on the traditional recipe of making it with a custard using eggs and dairy.

I loved the idea of using croissants since it instantly elevates the dish and adds a ton of visual appeal. Not to mention, croissants are delicious thanks to all the butter 🙂 I obviously wanted to make it plant based. So, I picked up some vegan croissants from Whole Foods to sue in this recipe. You can of course make fresh vegan croissants, use the regular croissants with butter or just use vegan bread as well.

If you are thinking about what the secret ingredient is, then here it is - silken tofu. Put it in the blender and this tofu takes on a delicious creamy texture. We also use tapioca starch to thicken up this tofu base and helps set the vegan custard. Typically bread and butter pudding does not contain any fruit besides raisins. I decided to incorporate figs since they were in season and I love them! You can include any fruit of your choice or leave them out entirely.

Ingredients for Croissant Bread Pudding

Silken Tofu - The silken version is really soft and silky like the name suggests. When it is blended well, it acts like a vegan cream alternative.

Croissants - We are using croissants instead of regular bread. I used vegan store bought croissants. They are rich in vegan butter and hence very flavorful. You can also use regular butter croissants or even bread for a traditional take. You can try different variations like cinnamon raisin bread, banana bread or even brioche bread. Preferably use something that is slightly dry so that it can soak up the custard and remain robust.

Figs - I used figs since they were perfect for this recipe and also were in season. You could try this with any fruit of your choice including apples, oranges, berries, plums etc.

Corn Starch - This acts like a thickening agent and helps set the custard. I have not tried it with other options but you could possibly also substitute tapioca or arrowroot starch.

Plant Milk - I used oat milk. You can use any plant based milk but preferrably choose a creamy version if possible.

Sugar - I used regular cane sugar. I used some of the sugar to add to the base of the pan before placing the fruits on top. I also used a little bit to top the croissant and custard mixture. Most of the sugar is added to the tofu mixture while making the vegan custard.

Spices/Vanilla - I used cinnamon and nutmeg along with vanilla. You can also use spices like cardamom, saffron.

Butter & Jam - Its bread pudding so there is no getting away from the butter. I used vegan butter to keep it completely dairy free. Also make sure the butter is unsalted. I cut the croissants horizontally across the length and buttered both sides. I also slathered some peach and apricot jam on one of the sides.

Process for making the croissant bread pudding

This recipe makes around 6-8 servings. The vegan custard from this recipe will make quite a bit and you will have enough left over to make another pudding. However if you dont want that, cut down the quantity by half.

I started off by placing the silken tofu, corn starch, plant milk, sugar, spices and vanilla in a blender. I ran the blender until the mixture is completely blended to a smooth consistency. It will be a pourable consistency. We will keep this aside for now.

Place the croissants on a cutting board and cut it horizontally right in the center. Butter the insides of both the pieces. Add some jam as well if you prefer else you can leave it out. Place the top part of the croissant back on the bottom part.

Heat the oven to 350 deg F. Place the pan you are using on the stove(if safe to use on the stove) or in the oven. Add some vegan butter. Once the butter has melted, remove the pan from heat. Evenly sprinkle some sugar on the bottom. Now place some sliced figs or any fruit you are using in the pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with the fruit. Now place the croissants in the pan and try to fit in as much as possible. I was able to do 4 of them in a 10" cast iron pan.

Pour the vegan custard in the gaps between the croissants slowly. Ensure all the gaps are covered and fill it with the custard till a little over the bottom half of the croissants are covered. Place any remaining fruits on top and sprinkle some more sugar on top. Put the pan carefully in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Check to see if the croissants are browning a lot. If yes, then cover the pan with some aluminum foil and bake for another 20 minutes until the custard is set. After the oven is off, let the pudding cool to completely set before serving.

Storing and Reheating Tips

The croissant bread pudding is best eaten when made fresh. This particular recipe serves around 6-8 people. The croissants will get soggy with time but the pudding should be good for a couple of days when stored in the refrigerator. You can either reheat it in the microwave or a regular oven before eating.

I would not really suggest freezing since I am not really sure the pudding will really hold up to the freezing and reheating process.

I hope you give this croissant bread pudding a try. Its a super easy dessert and you would never know by looking at it! Have questions or comments? Please let me know by leaving in the comment section below. I always look forward to hearing from my readers. Did you give this recipe a try and want to share your creations? Give me a shout on Instagram using #dillandthyme. You can also follow along on Pinterest or Facebook.

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