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Lemon Blueberry Croissant Bread Pudding

Bread Pudding is a fairly straightforward dessert that gives you a lot of flexibility to put your own spin on it. If you happen to be a lemon lover, pucker-up for a double-dose of luscious lemon flavor in this awesome spring treat!

What’s not to like about bread pudding? Chunks of bread soaked in a mixture of milk, sugar, eggs and baked to golden brown, creamy perfection.  It’s classic comfort food in dessert form.  The Freshman Cook gives this simple homemade dessert a superb spring makeover using croissants, blueberries, and a double-dose of lemon flavor in the form of lemon curd and a lemon sauce.

If you’re planning on serving this for a weekend brunch, you can get a head start on this dish up to four days ahead of time by preparing the lemon curd.  It is simple and quick to make on the stovetop. Once cooled, the lemon curd can sit in the refrigerator for three to four days.

The beauty of bread pudding is that you can serve it hot or cold so whether you’re having this after a holiday meal or using it as a buffet dish, it’s pretty forgiving. Plus, if not everyone on the guest list is as over the moon about lemon as you are, you can lighten up on the amount of lemon sauce you use to plate their serving.

Why not give this one a try for your spring gathering!

Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Yield: 6-8 Servings
Difficulty: Easy

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 Large Croissants
  • 8 oz Fresh Blueberries
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • ½ Cup Sugar
  • Juice of 2 Lemons
  • 1 Cup Lemon Curd

Lemon Curd:

  • 1/3 Cup Sugar
  • 2 tsp Corn Starch
  • 2 tsp Lemon Peel, finely shredded
  • 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 Cup Butter
  • 2 Eggs, beaten

Lemon Sauce:

  • 1 Cup Water
  • ½ Cup Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 1 Tbsp Butter
  • 2 Tbsp Lemon Zest
  • 1/3 Cup fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 tsp Vanilla

DIRECTIONS

Lemon Curd:

  1. In a medium Swiss Diamond XD Nonstick Saucepan, mix together the sugar, corn starch, lemon peel and juice over medium heat.
  2. In a bowl, beat 2 eggs.
  3. Go back to the saucepan and stir in the butter until melted. Stir the sauce constantly until it becomes thick and bubbly.
  4. Add half of the egg mix to the bowl and stir to incorporate it.
  5. Add all the ingredients in the bowl back into the pan. Cook and stir for 2 more minutes, then remove from heat. Cover with wax paper and let cool. The curd can sit in the refrigerator for at least 3 - 4 days.

Lemon Sauce (prepare while bread pudding is in oven):

  1. Place water in a Swiss Diamond XD Nonstick Saucepan and add the sugar and salt. Use a sieve to put cornstarch through and into the pan, stirring as added. Use medium heat until smooth and it thickens. Stir in butter, lemon juice, and vanilla. Remove from heat.
  2. Place a small puddle of sauce on the plate.
  3. Place a scoop of Lemon Blueberry Croissant Bread Pudding on top of the sauce. Enjoy warm or cold!

Bread Pudding:

  1. Chop the croissants into small bite-size pieces. Place the croissants and the blueberries into the pan. We used a Swiss Diamond Round Casserole to bake this in.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix 3 eggs, heavy whipping cream, 1 cup curd and lemon juice.
  3. Pour the mix over the croissants, push all the ingredients down into the mix so they are submerged and bake at 350°F for 40 - 50 minutes.