Pandoro Bread Pudding Recipe with Warm Bourbon Sauce

Turn a pandoro loaf into a creamy yet surprisingly light bread pudding, finished with a warm bourbon sauce for a perfect touch.

I love discovering good recipes by accident. That happened recently when a disappointing pandoro loaf—dense and dry—became one of the best bread puddings I’ve eaten. Instead of tossing the expensive loaf, I turned it into something cozy and elegant: a custardy bread pudding with raisins and chestnuts and a warm bourbon sauce to finish.

Pandoro is a tall, star-shaped Christmas bread from Verona, similar to panettone but without the candied fruit and raisins. When pandoro is good, a light warming and a dusting of powdered sugar are often all it needs. But when a loaf turns out dense or stale, a custard bath and a gentle bake can revive it into something wonderful.

My loaf was heavy and dense—one of those supermarket finds that cost more than it was worth on its own. Rather than waste it, I considered all the usual transformations: crumbs for strudel, trifle base, or French toast. Bread pudding was the obvious winner. I adapted a favorite panettone bread pudding and added what I had on hand: roasted chestnuts (I’d considered marrons glacés, but those take days to make and seemed too precious to bury in a rescue project).

After toasting the cubed pandoro and soaking it in a rich custard, the pudding baked into a creamy, light dish that I would happily serve to guests. The texture was tender without being heavy, and a drizzle of warm bourbon sauce made each bite feel special. This recipe is ideal for holiday leftovers, a gifted pandoro, or for picking up one on sale after the season.

Pandoro Bread Pudding with Warm Bourbon Sauce

By: Amanda Biddle

Summary: Transform a pandoro loaf into a creamy, surprisingly light bread pudding. A warm bourbon sauce is the perfect finishing touch. Bread pudding adapted from Ina Garten’s panettone bread pudding; warm bourbon sauce inspired by a classic caramel-style sauce.

Ingredients

Bread Pudding

• 1 pandoro loaf (about 1.5 pounds)
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 8 extra-large egg yolks
• 5 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup seedless mixed raisins
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted chestnuts (optional)
• Unsalted butter for the baking dish
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Warm Bourbon Sauce

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

Make the Bread Pudding

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.
• Trim the thick, dark edges from the pandoro and cut the remaining loaf into 1-inch cubes. Spread the cubes in a single layer on two baking sheets and toast in the oven for 10–12 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Allow to cool.
• Toss the toasted bread cubes with raisins and chopped chestnuts, if using, and transfer to the prepared baking dish.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla. Slowly pour the custard over the bread cubes, gently pressing with a spatula so the liquid soaks into the bread. Let the mixture stand for about 10 minutes to absorb.
• Place the baking dish inside a larger roasting pan and pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish, creating a bain-marie (water bath). Cover the roasting pan with foil and cut a few small vents to allow steam to escape.
• Bake covered for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 40–45 minutes more, until the pudding is lightly browned and the custard is set. Let cool for about 15 minutes, dust with powdered sugar, and serve with warm bourbon sauce.

Make the Warm Bourbon Sauce

• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar, heavy cream, bourbon, and a pinch of salt.
• Return the pan to medium-low heat and simmer gently, whisking, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Cool slightly before serving. Spoon warm sauce over slices of bread pudding.

Nutrition Estimate

The following nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as an approximation:

• Calories: 671 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 58 g
• Protein: 13 g
• Fat: 42 g
• Saturated Fat: 24 g
• Cholesterol: 447 mg
• Sodium: 134 mg
• Potassium: 476 mg
• Sugar: 34 g
• Vitamin A: 1525 IU
• Vitamin C: 7.3 mg
• Calcium: 268 mg
• Iron: 1.6 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an estimate.

Ratings on the original recipe cite a 5-star average from 2 votes. If you try this rescue-style pandoro bread pudding, a light hand with the custard and a gentle water bath will help achieve a silky, even texture. Serve warm with the bourbon sauce for an indulgent treat that makes even a disappointing loaf feel special.

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