I’m not sure if it is nature of nurture, but I am incapable of throwing away food. I suspect it comes from working in professional kitchens, where everything is used or money is lost. As a result I have scraps of all my baking projects in the freezer(s). Once in a while I go through and take inventory and try to use it up. Usually this happens around the time my husband is trying to fit something in there and can’t find an inch of room. This time I found several batches of waffles that I’d frozen over the past couple of months. I always intend to freeze them, like Eggo waffles, and just toast them for the boys in the morning. But, when it comes right down to it, I just can’t make myself do it. They just don’t toast up well. So, what to do with all these waffles I’d unearthed? Bread pudding. It is what I would do with leftover brioche and these are just as eggy and rich. The result was a delightful surprise and now a family favorite. Strawberry sauce and whipped cream on top and you have a breakfast fit for a king, or a son’s 10th birthday, which is exactly what I gave mine on his big day.
Waffle Bread Pudding
4 to 5 leftover waffles (the leftover ones absorb more of the custard. If you use fresh ones, you may want to dry them out in the oven for a few minutes.)
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream, plus more to serve on top
8 yolks
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
Strawberry Sauce
4 cups whole fresh or frozen strawberries
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar (depends on the sweetness of the strawberries)
2 teaspoons orange zest
To make the waffle bread-pudding:
preheat the oven to 325° and butter a 9 x 13-inch oval baking dish.
Whisk together the milk, cream, yolks, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, zest and brandy.
Arrange the waffles in the baking dish and pour the custard over the top.
Press the waffles down into the custard and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the waffles to absorb the custard.
Bake the waffle bread pudding, tented with foil, for about 45 to 50 minutes. Check it after about 30 minutes to make sure the custard isn’t already set up. You can turn the pan at this point and remove the foil. Test the custard by poking the center to make sure it is no longer liquid. Once it sets up like thin pudding it is done. It should not set hard or the custard will not be smooth.
While the waffle bread pudding bakes make the strawberry sauce by placing all the strawberries, sugar, zest and 2 tablespoons water into a pot with a lid and cook over low heat. You want to cook the fruit gently so it will not fall apart. Cooking times will depend on the fruit.
Spoon the berries over the pudding and add a dollop of freshly whipped cream. The pudding can be served hot or at room temperature. Switch out the whipped cream for ice cream and serve as dessert.
Another dessert from my freezer scraps:
Recipe is on list of goodies to try–but I could not help but notice how evenly your waffles were browned. I am on the search for a good waffle iron and have yet to find one that will brown evenly. Would you share your make/model? thanks so much, carol
love your website and amazing recipes!
Hi Carol,
My waffle iron is a Oster, and it is a very old model.
Enjoy the pudding! Zoë
I am the baker at an all girls camp and I decided to make this recipe for 300 people- on my first attempt. It was a LOT of work, but so beyond worth it. It was gobbled up in seconds! Thank you for your inspiration!!
What a wonderful way to use waffles … brilliant!
you are my hero <3
This looks beyond delicious! Yum! I can never throw away food either, so my freezer is probably like yours – filled with leftover baked goods! There’s hardly anything but muffins, applecake, lemon pull-apart bread, 2 sorts of pancakes…I’ll have to start working my way through it so I can fit some proper food in there! 😉
Looks fabulous!! I’ll have to try this with the whole wheat waffles I make all the time!
So not fair. This looks dangerously good. 🙂
This is such a fantastic idea! I always have leftover homemade waffles stashed in the freezer, and using them to make bread pudding isn’t something I would have thought of. I bet this bread pudding tastes simply delicious.
I never knew freezer scraps could be this appealing! I love a good bread pudding.
Okay, this is brilliant! I love the pic of your hands pressing the waffles into the creamy egg mixture – I can almost feel it. I make my son pancakes and freeze them, so I’ll try bread pudding with those leftovers too. Great post!
I’ve used many things for bread pudding but never waffles!!
This sounds delicious! Saving it for next weekend!
Wow! What a great idea! I’ll have to make extra waffles because there’s never any leftovers. The strawberries and cream just put it over the top!
Hear that sound? That’s me, smacking my forehead going “Why did I not think of this?”
So fabulous and beautiful, Zoe!
Oh I know, I hate throwing good food away too.
Zoe: I just wanted you to know that I used left over brioche from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day to make and Irish cream bread pudding for a St. Patrick’s Day dinner and it was a huge hit. I’ll keep the waffles in mind for the next time I pull out the waffle iron.
I can’t wait to buy the pizza book.
Hi Christine,
I LOVE the brioche for bread pudding, so glad you tried it!
Cheers, Zoë
Waffle bread pudding??? Genius!! I’m the same way, can’t throw away food, so there are scribbles and scraps of things all over the freezer. My husband told me I’ve reached my limit of frozen bananas and I have to make something banana this weekend OR ELSE. 🙂
Hey Cookiepie,
I JUST made banana bread for the very same reason! 😉
Cheers, Zoë
Is it just me, or do 4 cups of liquid seem like a lot for 5 waffles?
Wonderful recipe; simply awesome in fact! I love the idea of using waffles . . . mmmmm! Zoe, I need your very professional opinion, if i may . . . I just posted about raspberry stuffed French Toast (can also qualify for a a morning bread pudding like yours) and would love for you to stop over, check it out and tell me what you think as a professional baker. I’d appreciate it so much, as I am just an amateur baker! Thank you!
Perfect! I know exactly what to serve my mother who is 77 and adores bread pudding and strawberries. Your directions and photographs are wonderfully clear and easy to follow. Thanks for making it sound so simple.
I’m six months pregnant, and I will not rest until I get this in my tummy. YUM.
Hi Ashley,
Congratulations! You can not be denied!
Enjoy, Zoë
You are right! When you cannot serve it to customers you or your workmates have to eat it…
I like the idea to use waffle to make pudding, it’s brilliant…
I love that bread pudding can be made with almost anything! Love the waffle idea–I never make enough waffles to have any left-over (I hate how long they take) But I always have a Costco box of frozen waffles. I’m going to try this 🙂 Thanks for the idea!
Ah come on! You’re killing here!
Guess I know what we are having this weekend.
BTW, cannot wait to try your desserts at Tilia.
Oh my goodness, yum!! What a fantastic idea! I agree with Kathleen, above, that I’m going to have to make extra waffles just for this 🙂
I can just envision your son’s eager eyes when he caught a glimpse of this birthday treat – fabulous!
Now I need to make extra waffles, just for this. We never have leftover waffles!
I’m incapable of throwing out food too. This week it’s on my to-do list to take inventory of the freezer and use up some stuff. I am curious to know, if in fact it is nature or nurture… In any case, GENIUS way to use up frozen waffles!!!!!
Wow, that looks delicious! I love bread pudding and waffles, and wouldn’t have thought of putting them together. But then again, we never have leftover waffles at our house!