Add a citrusy twist to a dessert favorite with this flavor-packed recipe for Tropical Brioche Bread Pudding topped with toasted coconut flakes and a warm homemade caramel sauce.
Glazed doughnut holes. Cheesy vodka pasta. Barbecue chicken pizza. Salted pretzel rolls. Brioche bread pudding.
What do all of these seemingly random dishes have in common? They all rank at the very top of my All-Time Favorite Comfort Foods list. And trust me, this list is not for the faint of flour. We’re talking about true comfort foods here. The kind that tickle your taste buds and make every. single. bite. an Instagrammable moment.
Take this Brioche Bread Pudding for example. Every bite is filled with glorious, glorious carbs.
And that drip.
Oh, that drip. It was the final addition to my master plan for a recipe that needs little more description than the above photos. Because underneath all that warm, sticky-sweet caramel sauce are cubes of buttery brioche bread soaked in a thick and creamy orange-coconut milk custard.
This creation is my latest contribution to the Florida’s Natural® Brand Brunch Club extravaganza. Welcome to the party, Tropical Brioche Bread Pudding!
This is my third year partnering with Florida’s Natural, and every year I get more and more excited to dream up creative ways to take my favorite orange juice beyond the carton and the breakfast glass.
What I love about Florida’s Natural® Brand Orange Juice is that it’s made from one simple ingredient: Florida oranges! And that allows the purest orange flavor to shine in this recipe, which pairs the tangy citrus with creamy coconut milk, a splash of vanilla extract and plenty of toasted coconut flakes.
I’ve been keen to make orange juice the star of the dessert show around here, dating all the way back to my favorite Orange Juice Bread. But this latest creation was inspired by a soufflé I recently enjoyed at one of my all-time favorite restaurants, Splendido in Beaver Creek, Colorado.
Imagine pillowy clouds of citrus stacked a mile high then broken down with a spoon and drenched with vanilla créme anglaise. It’s a fancy dish, no doubt. But one taste had me scheming of a faster take on this orange-flavored dream. And just like that, Tropical Brioche Bread Pudding was born.
Brioche bread lends a buttery lightness and pairs perfectly with the orange juice and coconut milk custard. But there’s no intensive whisking, rising and waiting like there is with a soufflé.
Instead, the bread mixture is piled into ramekins and baked until golden. A few toasted coconut flakes and caramel sauce complete OJ’s sweet transformation from brunch beverage to show-stopping baked good that makes a perfect spring dessert or brunch item.
Ready to see this citrusy goodness in action? Tune in to the video below!
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Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup Florida's Natural® Brand Orange Juice
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh orange zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 12 cups loosely packed cubed brioche bread (See Kelly's Notes)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Generously grease six 7-oz. ramekins with the unsalted butter then set them aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the orange juice, coconut milk, eggs, sugar, orange zest, vanilla extract and flaked coconut. Add the cubed brioche bread to the bowl and fold until the bread is well coated with the orange-coconut mixture.
- Divide the bread mixture evenly among the six ramekins then arrange them on a baking sheet.
- Bake the ramekins, uncovered, for 32 to 40 minutes or until fully cooked and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the ramekins from the oven and serve the bread pudding warm with your choice of toppings. (See Kelly’s Notes.)
Kelly's Notes:
- Aim for 1-inch cubes to make for easy eating. Or, for a more rustic look, tear the bread into roughly 1-inch pieces.
- Optional toppings include a dusting of powdered sugar, a dollop of whipped cream, a shower of toasted coconut or a drizzle of warm caramel sauce.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Disclosure: I’ve partnered with Florida’s Natural for an exclusive endorsement of Florida’s Natural® Brand Orange Juice. This blog post is sponsored by Florida’s Natural. All opinions are my own.
Delicious!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Nancy!
Hi Kelly
This looks so delicious. Could you use a French loaf bread in place of the brioche?
Thanks Tina
Sure!
Hi Kelly, This looks great! Could you make it in a casserole or baking dish instead of the individual bowls?
Thanks, Kathy! Yes, you absolutely could do this in a buttered 13×9-inch baking dish. Bake it covered with foil at 375F for 30 minutes then uncover it and bake it another 20 minutes or so until it’s done. Enjoy!