Almond Cream Bread Pudding

This almond cream bread pudding has a separate almond filling layered between custard-soaked bread, then a buttery brown sugar glaze poured over the top after baking. Keeping the almond cream separate gives the pudding fuller almond flavor, and a softer, richer center.

Almond Bread Pudding with Almond Cream and Brown Sugar Glaze

I wanted this almond cream bread pudding to taste like almond, not like regular bread pudding with a splash of almond extract mixed into the custard. I kept thinking about marzipan and almond pastries, including almond cake, where I know what I’m tasting before I’ve even finished the first bite. Those are my favorite.

Bread pudding already has lots of custard, and I didn’t want the almond flavor to disappear into it. I gave the almond cream its own place in the recipe, separate from the custard, so I could taste the almond filling and the custard on their own even after everything had baked together.

I added the brown sugar butter glaze because after adding the almond cream, I saw no reason to hold back.

The Decisions Behind This Recipe

• I kept the almond cream separate from the custard because mixing everything together wasn’t giving me enough almond flavor. Keeping it on its own gives the bread pudding the marzipan-like almond taste without adding more extract to the custard.
• The almond cream is mostly almond flour with a small amount of all-purpose flour. The almond flour is where most of the flavor comes from, while the all-purpose flour helps the filling stay together once it goes into the custard and bakes.
• The custard is less sweet than I normally might make it because the almond cream and brown sugar butter glaze are already doing enough. I still wanted this to be a very rich bread pudding, but not one where I was done after two bites.
• The sliced almonds go on before baking so they can toast in the oven with the bread pudding. The pudding needs more time than the almonds do, so I keep the dish covered for most of the bake and uncover it near the end.
• I pour the brown sugar butter glaze over the bread pudding while it’s still warm so some of it can soak into the top. I don’t want it sitting on the surface like frosting because I want some of that brown sugar and butter getting into the bread too.

Ingredients

• Italian country loaf – I like a loaf with enough strength to soak up the custard without turning to mush. Day-old bread works best because it’s already dry and ready to take in more of the custard.
• Eggs – You’ll need them for both the almond cream and the custard. They help the almond filling set and give the custard its soft texture.
• Whole milk – This makes up most of the liquid in the custard, along with the heavy cream.
• Heavy whipping cream – Some goes into the custard, and you’ll use more to finish the brown sugar butter glaze.
• Granulated sugar – Sweetens both the custard and the almond cream.
• Light brown sugar – You’ll use this in the custard and again for the glaze. If you’re out, you can make my homemade brown sugar.
• Butter – (salted and unsalted) This goes into all three parts of the recipe, so you’ll use it for the almond cream, the custard and the brown sugar glaze.
• Almond flour – This makes up most of the almond cream and gives it its strong almond flavor.
• All-purpose flour – There’s only a small amount, but it helps the almond filling stay together as it bakes.
• Almond extract – This goes into both the almond cream and the custard, so the almond flavor isn’t limited to the filling.
• Vanilla extract – This goes into the custard and the brown sugar glaze.
• Ground cinnamon – There’s enough in the custard to give it some cinnamon flavor without making this taste like cinnamon bread pudding.
• Ground nutmeg – I use less nutmeg than cinnamon so it stays in the background with the custard.
• Sliced almonds – These go across the top and add toasted almond along with the softer almond filling inside.

How To Make Almond Cream Bread Pudding

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the almond cream)
  Coat a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish with cooking spray. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the almond flour, softened butter, sugar, almond extract and eggs until creamy, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the all-purpose flour and mix again. The almond cream should be soft enough to pipe but still thick enough to stay in a mound when it comes out of the piping bag. Set it aside while you make the custard.
• Step Two (mix the custard)
  Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, almond extract and nutmeg. Keep whisking until the eggs are completely mixed in and you don’t have any streaks of egg white left.
• Step Three (start with half the bread and custard)
  Tear the bread into large pieces and put half of it into the prepared baking dish. Pour half of the custard over the bread and give it a minute to soak in. Press down lightly on any pieces that are still dry on top, but don’t mash the bread into the custard.
• Step Four (add the almond cream)
  Transfer the almond cream to a piping bag fitted with a wide opening and pipe it over the soaked bread, spreading it around the dish instead of putting most of it in one area. You don’t need to cover every inch of bread because the almond cream will still be spread throughout the pudding once the second layer of bread goes on.
• Step Five (finish the layers)
  Add the remaining bread, then pour the rest of the custard evenly over it. Scatter the sliced almonds across the top, pressing a few down between the pieces of bread so they aren’t all sitting in the same place.
• Step Six (rest and bake)
  Let the assembled bread pudding sit for 10 minutes before it goes into the oven so the bread has time to absorb the custard. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, removing the foil for the final 5 minutes. It’s done when the center is puffed and set and you don’t see loose custard moving around when you give the pan a light nudge. The center can still feel soft because it will firm more as the bread pudding rests.
• Step Seven (make the glaze and pour it on warm)
  While the bread pudding finishes baking, melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the brown sugar until the mixture is smooth. Add the vanilla and heavy cream and whisk until the glaze is fully mixed. Pour it over the bread pudding while both are still warm, moving around the dish as you pour so the glaze gets over more than the center.

Recipe Tips

• The almond cream should not be loose or pourable. If yours is, double-check the almond flour, butter and egg measurements before you continue.
• Give the bread pudding about 10 minutes to rest after the glaze goes on before serving it. It will be very soft straight from the oven, and that short rest gives the custard and almond filling time to firm up.
• I’ve only made this with an Italian country loaf, which is what I recommend. Brioche or challah can also be used, but both will give you a richer, softer bread pudding.
• Store leftover almond flour in the freezer once the bag is open because the natural oils can eventually turn rancid. But now that the bag’s open, use it to make my almond cruffins or amaretti cookies.
• Tear the bread instead of cutting it into neat cubes. The uneven pieces give the custard more places to soak in, and I like the way the bread pudding looks once it’s baked.
• I keep the pieces of bread large. If you tear them too small, they absorb the custard much faster and the finished bread pudding can become softer than you want.
• Use a piping bag with a wide opening for the almond cream. The bread below is already wet with custard, and piping makes it easier to spread the almond cream around the dish without having to press and smear it over the soaked bread.
• Let the melted butter cool before whisking it into the custard. It can still be warm, but I don’t pour hot butter directly into the eggs.
• Don’t decide the bread pudding is done based on how browned it looks on top. The sliced almonds and exposed bread can look ready before the custard in the center has finished baking, so the center is what tells me when it’s done.
• If you don’t have a piping bag, use a large zip-top bag and cut off one corner. Make the opening wide so the almond cream can come through without having to squeeze the bag too hard.

Storage and Reheating

• Let the bread pudding cool completely, then cover the baking dish or transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Reheat individual servings in the microwave until warmed through. For several servings, cover the baking dish with foil and warm it in a 300°F (149°C) oven until heated through.
• The brown sugar glaze will soak farther into the bread as it sits in the refrigerator, so leftovers will be softer than the bread pudding was on the first day.
• I like this bread pudding the day it’s baked, when the sliced almonds are freshly toasted and the brown sugar glaze is still warm, but the leftovers reheat well.

FAQs

• Why does the almond cream taste a little like marzipan?
  Almond flour, butter, sugar and almond extract give it some of the same flavors you get from marzipan and other almond pastry fillings. The almond cream is much softer because it also contains eggs and bakes between the custard-soaked bread.
• Can I assemble almond bread pudding ahead of time?
  You can assemble it a few hours before baking and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Wait to add the sliced almonds until you’re ready to bake so they aren’t sitting in the custard while the bread pudding waits.
• Can I make this almond bread pudding without the brown sugar glaze?
  You can, but it’s much better with the glaze. Without it, you’ll still have the almond cream and custard, but you’ll miss the brown sugar and butter that soak into the top after baking.
• Why does this recipe use both almond and vanilla extract?
  The almond extract goes into both the almond cream and the custard because I wanted almond flavor in both. I use vanilla in the custard and brown sugar glaze as a background flavor.
• Can I reduce the sugar in this bread pudding?
  I wouldn’t reduce the sugar in the almond cream or brown sugar glaze. If you want the bread pudding less sweet, hold back some of the glaze instead of changing the almond filling.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• I’ve never believed one kind of sweetness has to be enough.
• I see the difference between soaking something in and losing it completely.
• Sometimes the separate part is the reason it works.
• I’ve stopped assuming more time fixes everything. It doesn’t.
• If I have to hunt for it, there probably wasn’t enough.
• Holding back is useful until it becomes the only reason you’re saying no.
• Warmth is useful. So is knowing when something is done.
• I don’t think everything needs to become part of something else to belong there.
• The best parts should not require explanation.
• The thing I thought was extra can turn out to be the best part.

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Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Almond Cream Bread Pudding

Almond Cream Bread Pudding has a separate almond filling layered between custard-soaked bread and sliced almonds, then a warm brown sugar butter glaze poured over the top after baking.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: almond bread pudding, almond bread pudding recipe, almond cream bread pudding, bread pudding recipe, bread pudding with almond cream

Servings: 12

Calories: 548kcal

Author: Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• baking dish 9x13 (23x33 cm) For assembling and baking the bread pudding.
• Stand Mixer or hand mixer. For mixing the almond cream until creamy.
• mixing bowls (large) For whisking the custard.
• Saucepan (small) For making the brown sugar butter glaze.
• pastry bag or large zip-top bag. For distributing the almond cream over the soaked bread.
• whisk (large). For thoroughly mixing the eggs into the custard.

Ingredients

• cooking spray

Almond Cream:

• 2¼ cups (216 g) almond flour
• ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter softened
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1½ tsps (7 ml) almond extract
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 3 tbsps (24 g) all-purpose flour

Bread Pudding Base:

• 6 large eggs room temperature
• 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 6 tbsps (85 g) salted butter melted and cooled
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar
• 1 tsp (3 g) ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1 tsp (5 ml) almond extract
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
• 1 lb (454 g) Italian country loaf torn into rough pieces, divided
• ½ cup (43 g) sliced almonds

Brown Sugar Glaze:

• 8 tbsps (113 g) salted butter
• 3 tbsps (40 g) light brown sugar
• 1½ tsps (7 ml) vanilla extract
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) heavy whipping cream

Instructions

• Coat a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish with cooking spray, then add the almond flour, softened butter, granulated sugar, almond extract and eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until creamy, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the all-purpose flour and mix again until the almond cream is soft enough to pipe but thick enough to stay in a mound when it comes out of the piping bag, then set aside.
  cooking spray, 2¼ cups (216 g) almond flour, ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 1½ tsps (7 ml) almond extract, 3 large eggs, 3 tbsps (24 g) all-purpose flour
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C), then whisk the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, melted and cooled butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, almond extract and nutmeg together in a large bowl until completely mixed and no streaks of egg white remain.
  6 large eggs, 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk, 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream, 6 tbsps (85 g) salted butter, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar, 1 tsp (3 g) ground cinnamon, 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract, 1 tsp (5 ml) almond extract, ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
• Tear the bread into large pieces and place half in the prepared baking dish, then pour half of the custard evenly over the bread and let it soak in briefly, pressing down lightly on any pieces that remain dry on top without mashing the bread into the custard.
  1 lb (454 g) Italian country loaf
• Transfer the almond cream to a piping bag fitted with a wide opening and pipe it over the soaked bread, spreading it around the dish so most of the almond cream isn’t concentrated in one area.
• Add the remaining bread and pour the remaining custard evenly over it, then scatter the sliced almonds across the top and press a few down between the pieces of bread.
  ½ cup (43 g) sliced almonds
• Let the assembled bread pudding rest for 10 minutes so the bread can absorb the custard, then cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, removing the foil for the final 5 minutes. The bread pudding is done when the center is puffed and set and you don’t see loose custard moving when the pan is lightly nudged.
• While the bread pudding finishes baking, melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the brown sugar until smooth, then add the vanilla and heavy cream and whisk until the glaze is completely mixed.
  8 tbsps (113 g) salted butter, 3 tbsps (40 g) light brown sugar, 1½ tsps (7 ml) vanilla extract, 2 tbsps (30 ml) heavy whipping cream
• Pour the warm brown sugar glaze evenly over the bread pudding while it is still warm, then let the bread pudding rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• If your bread is fresh, tear it into pieces and dry it in a 250°F (121°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes before assembling the bread pudding.
• The almond cream should be soft enough to pipe but thick enough to stay in a mound. If it becomes too soft to pipe easily, refrigerate it briefly before continuing.
• I tested this recipe with an Italian country loaf. Brioche or challah can also be used, although either will make a richer, softer bread pudding.
• Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or cover the baking dish with foil and reheat at 300°F (149°C) until warmed through.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Almond Cream Bread Pudding

Amount Per Serving (220 g)

Calories 548 Calories from Fat 324

% Daily Value*

Fat 36g55%

Saturated Fat 17g106%

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 11g

Cholesterol 170mg57%

Sodium 208mg9%

Potassium 233mg7%

Carbohydrates 45g15%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 27g30%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 1010IU20%

Calcium 142mg14%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Have you made this Almond Cream Bread Pudding? I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a comment below and let me know.

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