Guava Caramel Bread Pudding (Printable)

Creamy custard-soaked bread layered with tangy guava, caramel sauce, and toasted pecans for a tropical dessert experience.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 8 cups day-old brioche or challah, cubed
02 - 2 cups whole milk
03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - 4 large eggs
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Guava & Caramel

08 - 1 cup guava paste, cut into small cubes
09 - 1/2 cup caramel sauce, plus extra for drizzling

→ Nuts

10 - 3/4 cup chopped pecans

→ Butter

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined.
03 - Add cubed bread to the custard mixture. Gently stir to coat all pieces evenly and let soak for 10 minutes.
04 - Fold in the guava paste cubes and half of the chopped pecans, being careful not to overmix.
05 - Pour half of the soaked bread mixture into the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with half the caramel sauce. Add remaining bread mixture and drizzle with remaining caramel sauce.
06 - Sprinkle remaining pecans over the top and drizzle melted butter over the surface.
07 - Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and set in the center. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil.
08 - Let cool slightly before serving. Drizzle with extra caramel sauce if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes fancy enough for company but comes together with the ease of a weeknight dessert.
  • The guava brings brightness that stops this from feeling heavy, even with all that custard and caramel.
  • You can prep everything the night before and bake it when guests arrive, which is honestly life-changing.
02 -
  • The bread needs to be truly day-old or it will absorb too much custard and become mushy instead of creamy; freshly baked bread will fall apart in the custard.
  • Don't skip the resting time after baking—those five minutes of cooling let the custard set up just enough so you get distinct spoonfuls instead of a puddle.
03 -
  • Make this the day before and reheat it gently in a 300°F oven for about 15 minutes if you're serving guests—it takes the pressure off your timing and actually tastes more developed after sitting overnight.
  • If you find caramel sauce on its own too thick, warm it for a few seconds in the microwave before drizzling so it flows where you want it to go.
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