Description
A savory and comforting Ham and Cheese Bread Pudding featuring day-old sourdough bread soaked in a rich custard with shallots, ham, and sharp cheddar cheese, baked to golden perfection and topped with fresh chives.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread
- 12 oz sourdough bread, day old
Custard and Seasonings
- 10 eggs
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 shallots, minced
- 4 oz thick-sliced cooked ham, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Prepare the bread: Cut sourdough bread into cubes. If using fresh bread, dry it in the oven at 225°F for 30 minutes to remove moisture and help absorb the custard better.
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 350°F to prepare for baking the bread pudding.
- Sauté shallots: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add minced shallots and cook for 4 minutes until softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Mix custard: In a very large bowl, beat together eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, salt, black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, and grated nutmeg until well combined.
- Combine ingredients: Stir the cooled shallots, diced ham, fresh thyme leaves, and half of the shredded cheddar cheese into the custard mixture.
- Assemble pudding: Pour the mixture into a greased 9”x13” baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top. Let the pudding sit for 5 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the custard.
- Bake the pudding: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil partway through baking to prevent over-browning.
- Finish and serve: Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped fresh chives. Let the bread pudding cool slightly, then slice into squares to serve.
Notes
- Using day-old bread is best to prevent sogginess; if you only have fresh bread, drying it in the oven is essential.
- Covering the dish with foil during baking helps avoid burning the cheese topping.
- Feel free to substitute sharp cheddar with other flavorful cheeses like Gruyère or fontina for variety.
- Adding fresh thyme enhances the flavor, but dried thyme can be used in a pinch; use about half the amount.
- Serve warm with a side salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg
