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Full of festive, warming spices and studded with chocolate chunks this panettone bread pudding is the ultimate Italian inspired Christmas dessert! It’s the perfect way to end a meal or cosy up with something warm and comforting. Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a little nip of your favourite liqueur.
Whoa, this panettone bread pudding is the one. Like all things that are good about Christmas is wrapped up in one delicious dessert with a pretty bow on top.
I love putting an Italian spin on Christmas desserts and best of all I want them to be fun and easy much like my Pandoro Christmas Cake with Pistachios and White Chocolate, so much yum!
And the best part? This panettone bread pudding is super easy to make. It takes around 15 minutes to prepare then is baked in the oven until it’s crispy on the outside and soft and warm on the inside, like a fluffy panettone Christmas cloud.
Why Is It Called Pudding?
In the UK another word for dessert is pudding. It’s been known to spark some sort of confusion across the pond since to most Americans pudding is a smooth yogurt-like dessert most commonly chocolate flavoured.
But oh no, to me pudding is something warm, hearty and comforting think sticky toffee pudding, Christmas pudding or bread and butter pudding. This panettone bread pudding is my take on bread and butter pudding which consists of buttered bread in a baking dish sprinkled with chocolate chips, raisins and baked with a sweet egg mixture.
I gave this bread pudding an Italian twist by swapping the buttered bread for panettone which is already buttery and delicious in its own right and packed full of candied fruits. I sprinkled it with Creme Brule liqueur, melted butter, and chocolate chips, yaaa this is one decadent thing of beauty!
How To Make Panettone Bread Pudding – Step By Step
First, roughly chop the panettone into large cubes and add them to a baking dish. Make sure to fill each space with a piece of panettone and press them down to pack the dish tightly (photos 1-3).
Sprinkle over some creme brulee liqueur (or liqueur of choice). In a bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar until combined. Pour in the cream, milk, cinnamon, vanilla and orange zest then mix to combine (photos 5-8).
Pour the creamy mixture all over the panettone then let it soak in for 5 minutes. Brush with melted butter and finally, scatter over some chocolate chunks or chips and bake in the oven for 40 minutes (photos 9-12).
Once it’s baked let it stand for 5 minutes, dust with powdered sugar (icing sugar) then serve in bowls with some fresh whipped cream. I don’t add any sugar or flavourings to the cream because the panettone bread pudding is sweet enough and full of chocolate and fruit it’s nice to have something fresh alongside it but of course, you can serve it just as it is.
Liqueurs You Can Use to Make Panettone Bread Pudding
I used a creme brule liqueur that I came across in a supermarket and just had to buy it because, well hello how could I not? But here’s a list of other liqueurs you could use and would work just as well:
- Marsala
- Vin Santo
- Brandy
- Coffee liqueur
- White sweet wine
- Nut liqueur
Top Tips for Making Panettone Bread Pudding
- You can half this recipe to make a smaller bread pudding or to use up leftovers.
- I used dark chocolate chunks because they aren’t overly sweet but you can use any kind or chunks or chips you like.
- If you don’t have full-fat milk you can use semi-skimmed (half fat).
- You can also top with nuts such as unsalted pistachios or hazelnuts.
- The pudding is best served immediately but can be reheated the next day.
- Serve with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.
Merry Christmas everyone, it truly is the best time of the year!! (I am obsessed). It’s the time of year where you can let go, stop caring about diets and just indulge with friends and family.
So grab a bowl, dollop on the whipped cream, pour yourself a glass of something special and curl up and get cosy with your favorite crimbo movie. Enjoy!
More Italian Desserts You Might Like:
- Pandoro Christmas Cake
- Orange Chocolate Cantucci Biscuits
- Lady’s Kisses – Baci di Dama
- Chocolate Panna Cotta
- Italian Affogato Recipe – Ice Cream and Coffee
If you’ve tried this Panettone Bread Pudding or any other recipe on the blog please let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to
Step By Step Photos Above
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Panettone Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs (500g) Panettone
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (250mls) heavy cream, double cream
- 2/3 cup* see notes (150ml) full fat milk
- 3 tbsp creme brule liqueur, or liquere of choice, see notes
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 orange zest
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (2 tbsp) dark chocolate chunks
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Roughly chop the panettone into large cubes and add them to a baking dish. Make sure to fill each space with a piece of panettone and press them down to pack the dish tightly (photos 1-3).
- Sprinkle over some creme brulee liqueur (or liqueur of choice). In a bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar until combined. Pour in the cream, milk, cinnamon, vanilla and orange zest then mix to combine (photos 5-8).
- Pour the creamy mixture all over the panettone then leave it to soak in for 5 minutes. Brush with melted butter and finally, scatter over some chocolate chunks or chips and bake in the oven for 40 minutes (photos 9-12).
- Once it's baked let it stand for 5 minutes, dust with powdered sugar (icing sugar) then serve in bowls with some fresh whipped cream.
Notes
- * 150ml of milk measures exactly as 2 and a half 1/4 cups but you can use 2/3 of a cup which is slightly over but will still work ok.
- You can half this recipe to make a smaller bread pudding or to use up leftovers.
- I used dark chocolate chunks because they aren't overly sweet but you can use any kind or chunks or chips you like.
- If you don't have full-fat milk you can use semi-skimmed (half fat).
- You can also top with nuts such as unsalted pistachios or hazelnuts.
- The pudding is best served immediately but can be reheated the next day. Serve with fresh whipped cream or ice cream. I don't add any sugar or flavourings to the cream because the panettone bread pudding is sweet enough and full of chocolate and fruit it's nice to have something fresh alongside it but of course, you can also serve it just as it is.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made similar one few weeks ago 🙂 All Italians think the same way, most of the time, at least a ha ha. Grazie milla ! Tornero !
Did you use the traditional panettone with the fruit or cut to the chase with the CHOCOLATE studded one?
Hi Harris, I used the traditional one because it’s easier to find for me and I love the candied fruit but you could definitely use the chocolate one.
In my world of sweets, it doesn’t get much better than warming spices and chocolate! This is gorgeous and I can’t even imagine how delicious and comforting. Love!
Oh, I totally agree, probably why I love this time of year so much ha! Thank you so much Valentina!
Looks so delicious and comforting! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Thanks so much Natalie!
Awesome Bread Pudding.My husband Just Made this for New Year’s Day dinner. Had it for breakfast the next day also
OH wow, dinner? Great idea to have it for breakfast the next day, yum!
Christmas is my favorite time of the year too and this is such a festive looking bread pudding – I grew up on bread and butter pudding on the weekends so I cannot wait to try this with panettone!
Thanks so much Shashi, hope you enjoy it!
Such a classic holiday dessert! Following all of your step by step instructions really gives me the confidence that I’m going to nail this! Thanks!
Yay, thanks so much, hope you enjoy it!
This is the perfect way to use up left over Panettone. I think it is actually better than the Panettone itself. I do love the addition of chocolate chunks!
Thanks so much, Sara, chocolate is always a good idea 🙂