This rich and indulgent Tres Leches Bread Pudding recipe is a delightful dessert mash up that is a must for Cinco de Mayo!
I’ve mentioned quite a few times that growing up my family was really big into holidays. Yup, over the top decorations, traditions and some sort of little surprise (a card, special treat or small trinket) was my Mom’s thing.
Of course there were holidays, like Christmas or Halloween, that were more over the top than others, but we loved it all! It wasn’t until I was older that I realized that there were so many other holidays that we really never celebrated.
For us it was just a day off school or something we briefly learned about in class. These holidays, Labor Day, Flag Day, Earth Day, Cinco de Mayo, etc. were holidays that growing up, were just another day.
Being not only a blogger, but recipe developer and cooking instructor means that it is part of my job to know what foods are in season, what activities are in season (grilling, back to school, etc.), what holidays, big or small (even cheesy food holidays like National Grilled Cheese Day), are approaching, and what the food trends are.
In this line of work, you have to start planning for these things months in advance because for the rest of the world they only start thinking about said holidays a few weeks before, so that means I already have to be ready. Because the day of said holiday, it is a trending topic with hash tags and such!
Boy the world has changed quite a bit since I was a kid, but if that means I get to enjoy Flag Day by eating a fruit topped “flag” cake or eat compost cookies on Earth Day or enjoy a margarita and some tacos on Cinco de Mayo, which let’s face it, if I am being honest, is actually at least a once a night thing already in our house, then well I’m in!
Today’s recipe, Tres Leches Bread Pudding, is a heavenly mash up of two popular desserts. Tres Leches Cake is a popular dessert in central and south America and Tres Leches means “three milks,” which the cake is soaked in. Bread pudding is similar, as it is old bread soaked in an egg and milk custard, and so a Tres Leches Bread Pudding is a no brainier!
Bread pudding is such a spectacular dessert and yet is so easy to make. I threw together this version one time on a whim for a dinner party and had multiple guests say it was the best bread pudding ever. With raving reviews like that, I think that means you must make this Tres Leches Bread Pudding for your Cinco de Mayo celebration!
Tres Leches Bread Pudding
Rich and indulgent bread pudding made with three different milks and topped with sweet Dulce de Leche and homemade whipped cream
Ingredients
- Bread Pudding:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 5 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup room temperature butter, cubed and divided
- 12-13 cups torn croissants (about 20-24 croissants)
- For Serving:
- 1 (14-ounce) can Dulce de Leche
- 2 cups freshly whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease a 9×13 -inch baking dish* with 1-2 tablespoons butter. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In a separate large bowl, toss together remaining cubed butter and torn croissants.
- Pour custard over bread pieces and stir just until bread is saturated. Add additional milk, if needed, to ensure the bread is completely saturated.
- Pour bread pudding into prepared pan and bake at 400 degrees F, for 25-30 minutes, or until set. Allow bread pudding to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Tres Leches Bread Pudding is best served warm or at room temperature, topped with Dulce de Leche and homemade whipped cream.
- Store leftovers for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
*Alternatively you can make these individual bread puddings by using eight (1-cup) oven proof ramekins. Adjust bake time to 15-20 minutes.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Pumpkin Creme Anglaise
Dulce de Leche Tres Leches Cake
Oven Baked Cinnamon Toast French Toast
Bananas Foster French Toast
Mixed Berry “Shortcake” Sheet Cake
[…] by another popular dessert, these Tres Leches Coconut Macaroons are sweet, chewy and naturally gluten free and egg free! It is an easy dessert […]