Instant Pot Bread Pudding With Bourbon Sauce
Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy8
servings30
minutes54
minutesI love bread pudding. It is the perfect dessert. Creamy, toothy, sweet, savory, and ohhhhhh the bourbon sauce. Ever since we figured out my kids and husband can’t eat dairy, though, I feel guilty ordering it at restaurants since they can’t indulge with me. So, for my husband’s birthday this year, I scoured the internet, read every bread pudding recipe on the planet, and experimented with non-dairy substitutions until this beauty was born. It made his birthday, and it will make your weekend. Or your Tuesday. You will NOT miss the dairy, I promise. This bread pudding will rock your world.
Ingredients
12 ounces bread (preferably challah, if you can find it without dairy, preferably slightly stale. Leave it out on the counter for a day or two before making this, if you can.) Cut into small cubes.
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups non-dairy half-and-half or creamer (see note)
3 eggs + 1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp butter substitute, melted (see note)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 dashes nutmeg
1 dash salt
- For the sauce
1/3 cup melted butter substitute
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup non-dairy creamer (see note)
2 tbsp bourbon (or apple juice or pineapple juice)
1/2 tsp vanilla
Directions for the Bread
- If your bread is fresh, bake it at 325 on a baking sheet for 10 minutes or until it dries out. Skip this step if your bread is already stale or dry.
- Using a spray avocado or coconut oil, grease a round 7×3 non-leaking baking or springform pan. Put a round of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan. Spray the paper as well.
- In a large bowl, combine bread and raisins (if using).
- In a medium bowl, combine creamer, sugar, eggs + yolk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and melted butter. Whisk until blended.
- Pour the mixture over the bread and stir and fold until the bread is saturated. Pour or spoon the the mixture into the greased pan.
- Pour 1 1/2 cups of water into the liner of the Instant Pot.
- Tear a sheet of foil large enough to tightly cover the pan. Spray the foil and cover the top of the pan with the spray side down. Carefully place the pan onto a trivet or sling and lower into the Instant Pot.
- Lock the lid and ensure that the vent is in the “SEALING” position. Press STEAM or MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK (depending on your model) on high pressure. Set time for 42 minutes. When cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 12 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure, carefully remove the lid, and lift the pan out of the Instant Pot and place it on a cooling rack. Allow the pudding to sit for about five minutes. Remove the foil and allow the pudding to cool slightly while you make the sauce.
- DIRECTIONS FOR THE SAUCE
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in sugar, creamer, and bourbon (or juice). Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla, set saucepan aside to cool slightly. The sauce will further thicken as it cools.
- Turn the pudding over onto a plate or release the springform sides. Spoon servings onto plates or bows, and spoon the bourbon sauce over the pudding right before serving.
Notes
- Non-dairy butters cook differently. I have found that the best butter substitute for this recipe is Earth Balance sticks. DO NOT USE tubs of any kind of butter substitute in baking as the increased oil content or the whipping of the butter makes it runny in the batter, and creates baking disasters. Trust me on this one.
- The best half-and-half substitute I’ve found is unflavored non-dairy creamers. I’ve used both soy- and coconut-based creamers in this recipe and both were successful. I use these creamers when traditional recipes ask for heavy cream OR half and half, with good success.
- This pudding keeps well for a few days, as does the sauce. To reheat, put a portion on a plate, drizzle on the sauce, and heat in the microwave until hot. Still delicious, even on day three!