Guava Caramel Bread Pudding (Printer View)

Creamy custard-soaked brioche with guava, caramel sauce, and toasted pecans.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 8 cups day-old brioche or challah, cubed
02 - 2 cups whole milk
03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - 4 large eggs
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Guava & Caramel

08 - 1 cup guava paste, cubed
09 - 1/2 cup caramel sauce, plus extra for drizzling

→ Nuts

10 - 3/4 cup chopped pecans

→ Butter

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing

# Method Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined.
03 - Add cubed bread to the custard mixture. Gently stir to coat all pieces and let soak for 10 minutes.
04 - Fold in guava paste cubes and half of the chopped pecans into the soaked bread mixture.
05 - Pour half of the soaked bread mixture into the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with half the caramel sauce. Add remaining bread mixture and drizzle with remaining caramel sauce.
06 - Sprinkle remaining pecans over the top and drizzle melted butter over the surface.
07 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and set in the center. If the top browns too quickly, tent with aluminum foil.
08 - Let cool slightly before serving. Drizzle with extra caramel sauce if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes far more complicated than the actual effort required, making you look like a dessert genius with minimal stress.
  • The combination of creamy, caramelized, tangy, and crunchy textures in one bite keeps people coming back for seconds.
  • Bread pudding forgives timing mishaps better than most baked goods, so even a slightly imperfect bake still tastes incredible.
02 -
  • Day-old bread is non-negotiable; fresh bread will turn this into custard soup instead of pudding, so plan ahead or dry your bread in a 275°F oven for 15 minutes.
  • The guava paste needs to be cut into small cubes rather than left in large chunks, otherwise you'll get pockets of sweetness instead of even distribution throughout.
  • Overbaking is nearly impossible with this dish because the eggs and cream protect it, but underbaking means you'll have a puddle; aim for that barely-set center.
03 -
  • Use a combination of white and brioche or challah bread if you're using homemade bread pudding base; the slight tang complements guava beautifully.
  • If your caramel sauce is too thick to drizzle, warm it gently in a small saucepan for 30 seconds before using.
  • Toast your pecans in a dry skillet for 3–4 minutes before chopping if you want them to taste deeply nutty rather than just textural.
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