Chef Emeril Lagasse's White Chocolate Macadamia Bread Pudding Recipe

So you've planned the perfect dinner at home, but you don't have a dessert ready. And what's a homemade meal without a little sweet treat? Never fear: We have a perfectly delicious way to round out your meal. This bread pudding recipe is perfect for those who want an out-of-the-box dessert.

This delectable recipe comes from renowned chef Emeril Lagasse's cookbook Everyday Recipes for the Power Air Fryer 360 and is designed to be used with the Power AirFryer 360. But if you don't have an air fryer, Tristar has shared an oven-friendly version of this recipe, which is originally from one of Lagasse's restaurants, Delmonico Steakhouse in Las Vegas. So even if you don't have an air fryer—and aren't planning a trip to Vegas anytime soon—you can still enjoy the creamy, white chocolaty goodness of this dessert.

Here's Chef Emeril Lagasse's White Chocolate Macadamia Bread Pudding Recipe, reprinted with permission.

Ingredients

4 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg
10 ounces chopped white chocolate or white chocolate morsels
1 1/1 cups toasted and coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 1/2 crusty French baguettes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 14 cups)
Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise, for serving

How to Make It

1. Combine the cream, milk, and the sugar in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring just to a boil. Add the white chocolate chips and remove from the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, undisturbed, then whisk until the chocolate is completely dissolved.
2. Whisk the egg yolks and egg together in a large bowl. Whisk in 1 cup of the hot cream mixture, then gradually add the remaining cream mixture and whisk to blend. Add the macadamia nuts and the cubed bread and set aside to soak for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and butter a large baking dish.
4. Transfer the bread pudding mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake in the center of the oven until the bread pudding is puffed, golden brown and set in the center, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool briefly before serving with the Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise.

And if you do have an air fryer at home (whether it's the Power Air Fryer 360 or another model), here's the six-serving air fryer bread pudding recipe from Chef Emeril Lagasse.

Ingredients

1/4 cup water
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 cup whole milk
9 ounces white chocolate chips
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 loaf day-old French bread, torn into rough pieces
1/2 cup chopped toasted macadamia nuts
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Whipped cream, for serving

How to Make It

Caramel Sauce

1. Place a pot on the stovetop. Bring the water and 1 cup sugar to a boil over medium-high heat until amber-colored. Then, remove the pot from the heat and let cool briefly.
2. Carefully whisk the butter and cream into the caramel. Then, add the salt and vanilla and stir.

Bread Pudding

1. Place a large pan on the stovetop. Add the cream and milk and bring to a bare simmer over low heat.
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chocolate chips. Leave the saucepan undisturbed for 1–2 mins. and then whisk until the chocolate is completely melted.
3. Combine the eggs, vanilla, salt, and 1/3 cup sugar in a large bowl and whisk. Add the chocolate mixture and stir until incorporated. Soak the bread and macadamia nuts in the mixture for 15 mins.
4. Butter a 1.5-qt. round baking dish with the melted butter. Spoon the mixture into the dish and drizzle the remaining butter over the mixture.
5. Slide the Pizza Rack into Shelf Position 5. Tightly cover the dish with foil and place the dish on the pizza rack.
6. Select the Bake setting. Set the cooking temperature to 335 degrees Fahrenheit and set the cooking time to one hour. Press the start button to begin the cooking cycle. When the cooking timer has 15 minutes remaining, uncover the bread pudding.
7. When the pudding is done cooking, remove the dish. Cool the bread pudding briefly and then serve in small bowls. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the pudding and top with a dollop of whipped cream.

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