Cuban Bread Pudding

This dessert combines some of my favorite memories of Cuba, including the crusty sweet bread served at breakfast, mojitos, and plates full of tropical fruits eaten on the veranda of the famous Atelier restaurant. One of my fondest memories was meeting Roly, the bartender at the La Floridita Hotel in Havana. He had often served Ernest Hemingway back in the day, and he taught me how to make a perfect daiquiri, just like he had made for Ernest. This bread pudding is my homage to Cuba, combining the sweltering heat, sweet new friendships, and ocean breezes that left such impactful remembrances. It’s not only good for dessert but makes a delicious breakfast when paired with a steaming cup of coffee.

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Ingredients

Serves 8-10

Cuban Bread Pudding

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for buttering dish 

• 4 large eggs 

• 3 cups heavy cream 

• 1 cup coconut milk 

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar 

• 1 tsp. vanilla 

• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon 

• ½ tsp. ground allspice 

• 6 cups ½-inch cubes day-old bread 

• 1 cup diced pineapple 

• 1 cup diced bananas 

• ¾ cup golden raisins 

• 1 cup coconut 

• Coconut Rum Sauce (recipe follows) 

Coconut Rum Sauce

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 

• 1/3 cup heavy cream 

• 1/3 cup coconut milk 

• 2/3 cup sugar 

• 1 large egg yolk, beaten 

• ½ cup light rum 

Process

Cuban Bread Pudding:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. 

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs.  Add the cream, coconut milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and allspice.  Stir until well combined.  Stir in the bread, pineapples, bananas, raisins, coconut,  and melted butter.  Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake until golden and firm when pressed in the center, about one hour.   

Remove from the oven and cool slightly on a wire rack to set up, about 20 minutes. Serve on dessert plates and spoon Coconut Rum sauce over each serving. 

Coconut Rum Sauce:

In a medium saucepan, whisk together butter, cream, coconut milk, sugar and egg yolk.  Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Do not allow the sauce to come to boil.  Remove from the heat and whisk in rum. Allow to cool slightly before serving (makes about 2 cups).