Pear Caramel Brioche Pudding
A soft and decadent pear brioche pudding with a buttery pear and caramel sticky glaze and a refreshingly light whipped pear mascarpone topping.
Yield: 12 servings
| Ingredient | Measure |
|---|---|
| Del Monte® Diced Pears in Juice, drained (reserve juice) | 3 cups |
| Butter, room temperature | 1/4 cup & 2 Tbsp (divided) |
| Caramel Sauce | 2 Tbsp & 1/4 cup (divided) |
| Cinnamon | 1/2 tsp |
| Brioche Buns, 1/2" dice, dried and lightly toasted in oven | 6 each |
| Eggs | 6 each |
| Sugar | 1/2 cup & 1 1/2 Tbsp (divided) |
| Milk, whole, 4% | 2 3/4 cups |
| Pure Vanilla Extract | 2 1/2 tsp |
| Reserved juice from Del Monte® Diced Pears | 1/4 cup & 1/2 cup (divided) |
| Mascarpone Cheese | 1 cup |
TIPS
This pudding can be baked in muffin or mini bundt tins. The brioche and pear dice size should be smaller and pears could be mashed further than described above to help keep its shape in the bundt pan. Cooking time would be less than in a hotel pan.
This recipe also works well using Del Monte® Diced Pears in Extra Light Syrup, or Diced Peaches.
The whipped pear and mascarpone topping also makes a wonderful addition to warm fruit crumbles or carrot cake.
The buttery pear and caramel sauce offers the indulgence of this dessert – if you'd like a lighter version, it could be eliminated.
Directions:
- Preheat convection oven to 325°F (or 350°F if using a conventional oven).
- Drain pears in a strainer, pressing down to reduce juice content. Reserve the juice.
- In a sauté pan, combine and heat 1/4 cup butter, 2 Tbsp caramel, and cinnamon.
- Add drained pears and cook for 5 to 7 minutes to reduce liquid, soften and season pears. Mash cooked pears slightly with a spoon or potato masher and mix well so they retain all the liquid. Cool slightly and set aside.
- Add dried brioche to a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl whisk eggs. Add 1/2 cup sugar and whisk well. Add milk and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add cooled pears and mix.
- Pour mixture over dried brioche. Mix well and allow to sit for a few minutes so bread can soak up egg mixture.
- Spray a shallow half hotel pan with oil. Pour entire mixture into pan and spread with a rubber spatula. It should be about an inch thick with some of the bread cubes sticking up. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the pudding comes out clean and it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Cool slightly and cut 4 by 3.
- While the pudding cooks, make the whipped pear mascarpone topping and the pear caramel glaze. For the topping, whisk together a 1/4 cup of the reserved pear juice, 1 + 1/2 Tbsp sugar, and 1 cup mascarpone cheese until it holds soft peaks. Refrigerate for service.
- For the pear caramel glaze, reduce a 1/2 cup of the drained pear juice in a sauté pan by 50% - to ¼ cup. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add 2 Tbsp butter and 1/4 cup caramel sauce. Whisk to combine. Do not over-heat or let the mixture separate. Hold at room temperature for service.
- Serve each portion of pudding warm, drizzled with 2 teaspoon of the caramel glaze and a 1 tablespoon dollop of whipped pear mascarpone.
- Preheat convection oven to 325°F (or 350°F if using a conventional oven).
- Drain pears in a strainer, pressing down to reduce juice content. Reserve the juice.
- In a sauté pan, combine and heat 1/4 cup butter, 2 Tbsp caramel, and cinnamon.
- Add drained pears and cook for 5 to 7 minutes to reduce liquid, soften and season pears. Mash cooked pears slightly with a spoon or potato masher and mix well so they retain all the liquid. Cool slightly and set aside.
- Add dried brioche to a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl whisk eggs. Add 1/2 cup sugar and whisk well. Add milk and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add cooled pears and mix.
- Pour mixture over dried brioche. Mix well and allow to sit for a few minutes so bread can soak up egg mixture.
- Spray a shallow half hotel pan with oil. Pour entire mixture into pan and spread with a rubber spatula. It should be about an inch thick with some of the bread cubes sticking up. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the pudding comes out clean and it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Cool slightly and cut 4 by 3.
- While the pudding cooks, make the whipped pear mascarpone topping and the pear caramel glaze. For the topping, whisk together a 1/4 cup of the reserved pear juice, 1 + 1/2 Tbsp sugar, and 1 cup mascarpone cheese until it holds soft peaks. Refrigerate for service.
- For the pear caramel glaze, reduce a 1/2 cup of the drained pear juice in a sauté pan by 50% - to ¼ cup. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add 2 Tbsp butter and 1/4 cup caramel sauce. Whisk to combine. Do not over-heat or let the mixture separate. Hold at room temperature for service.
- Serve each portion of pudding warm, drizzled with 2 teaspoon of the caramel glaze and a 1 tablespoon dollop of whipped pear mascarpone.
