Christmas Morning Country Breakfast Bread Pudding ((in a jar))
Sinkology is proud to present Emily Schuermann, our food-loving guest blogger who runs Food for a Year. Emily is here to share some recipes she has created exclusively for the Sinkology blog that reflect her view of a copper sink: simple, timeless, affordable and beautifully rustic.
This is my very most favorite breakfast recipe – with a fun twist! Normally, I make this breakfast bread pudding in a deep 9″ x 13″ baker. We have it frequently for dinner throughout the year – but every Christmas morning this is a MUST in my home. I always assemble it in the late hours of Christmas Eve, after those last presents are wrapped & all of my “Santa-helping” tasks are finally complete.
But for this Sinkology recipe, I decided it would be fun to do a “make your own” Christmas Breakfast Bread Pudding twist by making individual portions served in an 8 oz. glass canning jar.
By making this switch, your family & friends will get the opportunity to add their own combination of meats & veggies on Christmas morning. Another opportunity to stand around food & bond – I see a new Christmas morning tradition in the works!
When making these jarred breakfast bread puddings, there are a few important tips to make them perfect :
- Don’t ignore the instructions to spray the inside of the jar and butter the outside. Trust me.
- Don’t let your stomach be the measure for how you fill these jars. You must set limits – or they will bake right out of the jar.
- If you are like me though, the stomach can be pretty persuasive. Even if you over-fill a bit all isn’t lost. Just be aware, they will expand up and out. A lot. ((I think the over-filled jars look rustically endearing))
- Setting the filled jars on a parchment-lined baking sheet for baking is also a critical mess-prevention. No matter how much you don’t want it to happen, these little ones will overflow a bit.
- If getting a head start by assembling the first layer the night before, be sure to allow them to sit at room temperature for 20-25 minutes before baking. Otherwise, putting a chilled jar in the oven will lengthen cooking time. If wanting to bake right out of the fridge, be aware, you may need to adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Have fun by experimenting with the add-ons! How about mushroom & swiss, or fig preserves & goat cheese, or prosciutto, parmesan & peppers – the ideas are limitless!
The kids and I did a dry run of this breakfast bread pudding in a jar idea ((just for blog and dinner purposes)) and they LOVED adding their own combinations of cheeses and meats. For some reason, they avoided the veggies — haha! I particularly loved the zing sliced hot cherry peppers & goat’s milk cheddar added to my jar!
With the help of a delicious loaf of brioche, a set of canning jars like grandma used and a few simple ingredients, the most delicious Christmas morning breakfast tradition is possible. But after the first bite, I am guessing this one won’t be a “once-a-year” tradition!
- 1 loaf of brioche, cubed into ½" cubes
- 1½ c heavy cream
- ¾ c milk
- 9 eggs
- 4 oz cubed ham
- 4oz browned breakfast sausage
- 8 strips of applewood smoked bacon, cooked till crisp and chopped
- 4 oz diced bell pepper
- 2 oz sliced hot cherry peppers ((pickled))
- 2 oz canned green chilies
- ½ c freshly shredded goats milk white cheddar
- ½ c freshly shredded green chili cheddar
- ½ c freshly shredded extra sharp cheddar
- 1 t McCormick's Montreal Steakhouse seasoning blend - or kosher ½ t salt & ½ t pepper
- If making for immediate use: preheat oven to 375°. Spray 9 - ½ pint ((8 oz.)) jars with a flour-based nonstick cooking spray, and grease the outside of each jar with butter. Fill each jar halfway* with bread cubes ((don't mash)). Next, crack eggs into a large mixing bowl, add cream, milk, seasoning blend and whisk until smooth. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes, filling each jar halfway*.
- Add your choice of meat & veggie combinations, keeping in mind that the total filling amount should be no more than 3 T. Top with 1-2 T of shredded cheese and add more bread cubes ((up to an 1" of bread popping over the top of the jar is fine)). Drizzle 1-2 T of the egg mixture over the top of the final layer of bread and sprinkle another teaspoon of cheese & a dash of seasoning over the top of each.
- Place the jars on a parchment lined baking sheet and into the oven on a rack positioned in the middle of the oven. Bake 25 minutes, or until the center is firm and the top is medium golden brown and crisp. Once baking is complete, allow to cool 3-5 minutes before serving.
- For baking after storing overnight: follow the above instructions stopping before adding the filling**. Instead, simply place lids on jars and refrigerate overnight - along with remaining egg mixture and shredded cheeses. Bag up any extra bread for use in the morning.
- The following morning, remove the jars from the fridge, take lids off and allow the jars to sit at room temperature for 20-25 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°. Follow the remaining assembly and baking instructions as stated above.
- Serves 9
- *The first step of filling the jars only halfway with bread and egg mixture will help ensure the bread pudding doesn't overflow the jar while baking.
- **The kids & I added our filling choices before refrigerating - either assembly method works equally great.