High Rail's Strawberry Cheesecake Bread Pudding + Strawberry Moon Recipe
Ingredients
For the apricot glaze:
- ¼ cup apricot jelly
- ⅛ cup water
For the crème anglaise:
- 2¼ cups whole milk
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla paste
- 5 large egg yolks
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
For the cheesecake bread pudding:
- 10 Tbsp. light brown sugar
- ¾ cup + 5 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 10 cups croissants, cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
- 9 large egg yolks
- 4 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp. table salt
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1½ cups fresh or frozen peaches, unpeeled and sliced
- 4 oz. cream cheese, cut into ¾ inch cubes
Instructions
For the apricot glaze:
- In a microwave-safe bowl heat apricot jelly and water together until warm. Stir until combined and use immediately.
For the crème anglaise:
- Combine the milk, cream, and vanilla paste in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
- Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until combined. While whisking, slowly pour ⅓ of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture and whisk until fully incorporated to temper the eggs. Whisk in another ⅓ of the milk mixture, then pour the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.
- Cook the custard over medium heat, stirring continuously with a spatula until it̓s thick enough to coat the back of the spatula, 4-5 minutes. (If you can swipe your finger through the custard on the back of the spatula and the line left by your finger remains.) Remove from heat.
- Cool to just warm; serve with the bread pudding.
For the cheesecake bread pudding:
- Preheat the oven to 325°.
- Combine the brown sugar and 5 tablespoons of the granulated sugar in a bowl; set aside.
- Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Bake, tossing occasionally, until just dry, about 15 minutes, switching the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. Cool the bread cubes for about 15 minutes.
- Pour melted butter over bread and toss to coat. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over bread and toss to coat. Set aside 2 cups.
- Whisk the egg yolks, remaining ¾ cup sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk in the cream and milk until combined. Add the remaining 8 cups bread cubes and blueberries, and toss to coat.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 baking dish and let stand, occasionally pressing the bread cubes into the custard, until the cubes are thoroughly saturated, about 30 minutes.
- Spread the peaches, cubed cream cheese, and reserved bread cubes evenly over the top of the soaked bread mixture and gently press into the custard.
- Place the bread pudding on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on the middle rack until the custard has just set and pressing the center of the pudding with your finger releases no liquid, 45-50 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool until the pudding is set and just warm, about 45 minutes.
- Brush with apricot glaze and serve the bread pudding on top of a few heaping spoonfuls of crème anglaise.