Lemon Blueberry Bread Pudding

I know a Lemon Blueberry Bread Pudding isn’t necessarily the first thing you think of when planning your Christmas menu, but somehow it always ends up on my breakfast list.

I made this dish for family one year, and it has been requested every year since. The ingredients are obviously not seasonal being that, in Kansas, Christmas falls in Winter, however, if you gather and freeze the blueberries in Summer, and have access to lemons, this is a wonderful Christmas meal, that can be served for breakfast, brunch, or dessert anytime of the year.

This Bread Pudding is what attracted me to all bread puddings. The sight of runny or soggy bread puddings, that you often see in restaurants or diners, always scared me, and thankfully, this is not that. Firm and custard-like, with the ever-so-delicious combination of blueberries and lemon, I know this will be a new staple breakfast in your home.

Lemon Blueberry Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

3 cups Blueberries
2 Tbsp Flour
1 Loaf day old French Bread (brioche is also very good – homemade is always best)

For the Custard:
1 cup Cream
2 cups Buttermilk (or Milk)
1 ¼ cup Raw Cane Sugar (or your favorite sweetener)
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Nutmeg
½ tsp Salt
6 Tbsp Melted Butter
6 Eggs, beaten
Zest of ½ Lemon
Juice of 1 Lemon

Sugar Topping:
2 Tbsp Melted Butter
⅓ cup Sugar
Zest of the other Lemon Half

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Toss 3 cups of blueberries with 2 tablespoons of flour. The flour coating prevents the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of your pudding. Set aside for later.
3. For the sugar topping, in a small bowl, mix ⅓ cup sugar and the zest of ½ lemon. Cover, and set aside. You can do this several hours, or the day before. The oils of the lemon zest seep into the sugar.
4. Butter your favorite 9×13-ish casserole dish.
5. Cut French Bread into 1 inch cubes, and place in a single layer in casserole dish.
6. Prepare custard by mixing Cream, Milk, Salt, Nutmeg, Vanilla, Beaten Eggs, Melted Butter, Lemon Zest, and Lemon Juice.
7. Pour half of the custard mixture evenly over bread cubes.
8. On top of the bread cubes and custard, sprinkle half of the blueberries, leaving out the flour.
9. Next, add another layer of bread cubes, and then custard, finished with the last of the blueberries. Toss out the flour.
10. Cover with plastic wrap, and gently press down with your hands. This encourages the bread cubes to soak up the custard.
11. Let sit for 15 minutes.
12. Brush the top of the bread cubes with melted butter.
13. Sprinkle Sugar/Lemon Zest mixture over the top of your Bread Pudding.
14. Cover with Aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
15. Remove Aluminum foil, and bake for a remaining 45 minutes.

It really is that easy! The zing of the lemon, paired with the tartness of blueberries and fresh buttermilk. So so Good. This recipe will surely become a family favorite!

-April

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have questions?

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