As a 7-year-old, I decided on my own definition of “sophistication.” It meant high heels, gently flowing dresses, and slightly pursed lips painted pink or red. I’d sneak Mom’s fancy shoes out of the closet, smear on a bit of lipstick, and pull out her old tangerine bridesmaid dress from my toy chest to stumble around my bedroom with my head held high. I wanted to play dress-up like that every day!
When we went to Hawaii later that spring, my grandma told me they would treat us to a sophisticated lunch at the Princeville Hotel. She was referring to the white cloth napkins, thin-stemmed water glasses, and highly priced entrées, but I didn’t care about any of that. I needed to look sophisticated!
Since we spent the morning snorkeling and splashing in the waves at the adjacent beach, Mom allowed me very little time to primp and preen in the hotel restroom. I spilled sand all over the floor as I wriggled out of my swimsuit and pulled a floral dress over my head. I strapped on my clear jellie heels (remember when those were popular back in the ’90s?) but had to leave off the lipstick. I didn’t realize I needed to sneak some while packing my suitcase!
I finally emerged and walked across the lobby to my impatient family with my toes pointing outward because, well, that’s what sophisticated ladies did! At the restaurant, I ordered my first Shirley Temple—a fancy girl’s drink—and wolfed down a grilled cheese sandwich with french fries. Despite my parents’ polite nibbles of their fresh fish fillets, my hungry stomach clearly won the battle against sophistication then!
These pear and caramel bread puddings are very sophisticated, completely unlike my 7-year-old self! The sweet caramel drizzle perfectly compliments the juicy pieces of pear hiding inside each ramekin, and the soft texture ties everything together in one beautiful bite. They look elegant enough for a dinner party—or even our fancy lunch at the Princeville Hotel—so it can stay as our little secret just how simple they are to make!
A sweet and elegant dessert. You can prepare the puddings up to a day in advance, but wait to drizzle the caramel on top just before serving. (They’re best served warm, so try reheating slightly in the microwave!)
- Preheat the oven to 350°, and lightly coat 4 (1-cup) ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites and milk until light and frothy. Stir in the brown sugar and vanilla extract. Gently fold in the bread cubes and pears, and let the mixture sit for 2-3 minutes to allow the bread to soak up the liquid.
- Divide the bread mixture between the ramekins, and bake at 350° for 22-25 minutes, or until the tops turn light golden brown. Cool for at least 10 minutes. Just before serving, drizzle each pudding with 1 teaspoons of caramel syrup.
Note: It’s best to use stale bread because it’s better at soaking up the liquid mixture.
Yum!! Anything with pears is a winner in my book. 🙂 These look awesome!
Thanks Erin! I love how sweet pears are; they make everything better!
Your stories are seriously the best, your writing is very creative!! I LOVED Jellies back in the 90’s bahahaha. I can picture you strutting your stuff to the table! These bread puddings look delicious, I just had my first bread pudding within the last year and MAN was I missing out!
Aww thank you Brittany, that means a lot to me. You’re so sweet! 🙂 I always forget about bread pudding and how amazing (and simple) of a dessert it is. I bet you’ll feature a recipe or two on your blog in the future!
Been looking for a lighter bread pudding recipe and this one looks great, Can you let me know what a “dutch” bun is, not familiar with that. I usually use older homemade or rustic bread?
Thank you
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Frances! Dutch crunch rolls are white bread rolls with a special “crunch” topping that’s brushed on right before baking, which is made from rice flour, sugar, and yeast. Therefore, Dutch crunch rolls are generally sweeter than regular bread rolls, which is why I used them for these individual sweet dessert bread puddings! If you can’t locate Dutch crunch bread or bread rolls, then your homemade or rustic bread should also work. The bread puddings just might have a slightly different taste and texture. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of them if you try making this recipe!