Eggs benedict croissant bread pudding

Buttery croissants, cheddar cheese and crispy bacon: this croissant 'pudding' is the perfect vessel for a poached egg, served with blender hollandaise sauce. And you can even makes the eggs in advance.

Eggs benedict croissant bread pudding. Credit: Comfort Food with Spencer Watts

• serves

  4

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

Croissant bread pudding

• 4 eggs
• ½ cup thick (heavy) cream
• ⅓ cup cheddar, shredded
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
• 8 strips bacon, fried crispy, chopped
• 8 mini croissants, torn into pieces

Make-ahead poached eggs

• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp white vinegar

Blender hollandaise sauce

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 3 tsp white wine
• Hot sauce, dash
• Fresh ground pepper
• 115 g (½ cup) melted butter

Garnish

• Italian parsley, finely chopped
• Freshly ground pepper

You will need iced water on hand when poaching the eggs.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. For the croissant bread pudding: Crack eggs into a bowl, add heavy cream, fresh thyme leaves, salt, freshly ground pepper and whisk to combine. Add grated cheese, chopped bacon, and torn croissants. Stir to combine, ensuring all croissant pieces are coated in egg mixture.
3. Line a 23 cm x 23 cm (9 inch x 9 inch) square baking dish with baking (parchment) paper. Tip croissant pudding mixture into pan and press gently to even out. Lay baking (parchment) paper on top of mixture and create a lid with a second baking dish of the same size. Bake for 60 minutes.
4. For the make-ahead poached eggs: Add water and white vinegar to a heavy bottom pot on high heat and bring to a simmer. Crack one egg at a time into a small bowl and transfer gently into the simmering water. Cook for 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, transfer each poached egg into a bowl of ice water for 1 minute. Transfer eggs from ice water to a plate topped with a paper towel. Set aside. (If making eggs far enough ahead, set aside in the fridge and reheat eggs in simmering water for 30 seconds before serving.)
5. For the blender hollandaise sauce: Add egg yolks, lemon juice, white wine, hot sauce, freshly ground pepper to a blender and mix on medium until creamy and combined. Shift speed to low and drizzle in hot melted butter, blending for 30 seconds.
6. Transfer croissant bread pudding to a cutting board and slice into 4 portions. Plate portions, topping with poached egg and finish with hollandaise Sauce.
7. Garnish with chopped parsley and freshly ground pepper.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.