Gumara Caamel Bread Puding wth Peans (Printable)

Soft bread in vanilla custard with sweet guava, caramel layers, and toasted pecans. A tropical spin on a beloved classic.

# Ingredient List:

→ Bread & Dairy

01 - 8 cups day-old brioche or challah, cubed (approximately 10.5 oz)
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 (approximately 10.5 oz)
09 - 1/2 cup caramel sauce, plus extra for drizzling

→ Nuts

10 - 3/4 cup chopped pecans (approximately 3 oz)

→ Butter

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

# How to Make:

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 and let soak for 10 minutes.
04 - Fold in the guava paste cubes and half of the chopped pecans into the bread mixture.
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 the remaining caramel sauce.
06 - Sprinkle the top with remaining pecans and drizzle melted butter over the surface.
07 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and set in the center. If the top browns too quickly, tent with aluminum foil.
08 - Let cool slightly before serving. Drizzle with extra caramel if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It transforms day-old bread into something so luxurious that you'll actually save crusts on purpose.
  • The guava and caramel combination hits sweet, tangy, and rich all at once—no competing flavors, just harmony.
  • It feels fancy enough to impress guests but simple enough that even a midweek baking attempt won't stress you out.
02 -
  • Don't use fresh bread no matter how tempting—it will turn into mush instead of creating that perfect tender-but-structured texture.
  • The guava paste needs to be cubed, not spread like jam, because the little chunks create those delicious flavor bursts throughout.
03 -
  • Make this the morning of serving or even the day before—it actually improves as it sits because the flavors have time to integrate and the texture becomes more custard-like.
  • If you can't find guava paste, passion fruit curd makes an excellent substitute, though the flavor profile shifts toward tropical brightness rather than earthy sweetness.
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