My {Pretzel} Fix

You are what you eat.
So I should probably stop
eating pretzel buns.

Pretzel buns seem to be all the rage right now. So after all the freeze warnings and rainy days this week, I decided to make classic bread pudding that's not necessarily any more healthy but with some alternative ingredients nonetheless. Typically, bread pudding is made with stale French or Brioche bread and lots of sugar, butter and heavy cream. Then it is topped with a sauce made of more sugar, butter, heavy cream and brandy. I wanted my recipe renovation to have the same rich texture and taste without sacrificing any flavor. The pretzel buns add saltiness to the mixture, making it a perfect combination with the sweet and aromatic flavors. Instead of using brandy, I wanted to create a cognac sauce to complement the pudding and all of its nuances. The best way I can describe the end result is similar to what I would expect a cinnamon roll and french toast at happy hour to taste like. Its fluffy texture and rich flavors make it difficult to have just one bite.


Pretzel Bun Bread Pudding with Cognac Sauce
Serves 8

For Bread Pudding:
5 pretzel buns
2 cups vanilla almond milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons Smart Balance Light butter

For Cognac Sauce:
1/4 cup Hennessy cognac
2 cups powdered sugar
7 tablespoons Smart Balance Light butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Tear apart the pretzel buns into bite size pieces and set aside in a medium bowl.

Pour milk in a sauce pan on medium heat until it begins to steam. Stir the milk frequently then add butter and cinnamon sugar. Once the ingredients are melted, pour the mixture over the pretzel buns in the bowl. Stir in the mixture until it fully coats all the bread, then set aside for 20 minutes for the bread to absorb the mixture.

In the meantime, combine salt, pumpkin pie spice, eggs, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and stir together. Add to the other bowl and make sure the mixture coats the bread. Spoon the pudding into a greased baking pan and cook in the oven for 30-35 minutes.

For your cognac sauce, you will need a medium saucepan on medium to low heat. Melt the butter and fold in the powdered sugar and cinnamon sugar. Once mixed, add the cognac, vanilla and egg to thicken the mixture. Keep the sauce on low heat until you take your bread pudding out of the oven. 

The bread pudding texture should be gooey on the inside but the outer edges should be golden brown. Serve up your bread pudding in heaping portions and top with cognac sauce. Best enjoyed with a frosted mug of milk and a good book!