A gloriously rich chocolate bread pudding, made light with a secret ingredient...avocado. It's finished off with a maple rum sauce. Thanks to California Avocados for sponsoring this post and helping me to share this recipe with you.

No, your eyes aren't deceiving you. I did say chocolate AVOCADO bread pudding. You think I've lost my mind, right? Taken up paddle up the funny river? Suffering from a marble deficiency? I promise that I am still of sound mind (well, as much as I usually am, anyways).

So, what's with the California avocado in the bread pudding? If you've ever had bread pudding, you know that it is a rich, tender and pretty heavy dessert. What typically makes it so heavy is a boatload of butter and full-fat milk (or even cream). Oh yeah, and a not-so-small dose of sugar.

So, I got to thinking. How do I lighten up bread pudding without losing the glorious texture and flavor?

*Lightbulb!*

Avocados contain healthy fats, while also providing beneficial carotenoids and boasting a cholesterol-free status. And yet, they have that lovely creamy texture.

Out with the butter, in with the avocado. I blended half of a California avocado with fat-free evaporated milk (the kind in the can), some skim milk, unsweetened cocoa powder and a couple of eggs. Instead of sugar, I used maple syrup to mirror the maple flavor in the sauce and added a splash of dark rum (that's always a good thing!) The bread soaked up the mixture, giving it a tender, decadent consistency when baked.

And what is bread pudding without a boozy, sweet sauce drizzled over top? That's a rhetorical question, of course.

Maple syrup just screams "Autumn!" and I love that is a natural sweetener, which makes is a good alternative to granulated sugar.

Bourbon would be a natural combination with maple syrup, but I couldn't resist the idea of pouring in some dark rum instead. I think that's my mum's Jamaican roots speaking. It speaks, I listen.

It's time to dive in!

Other avocado recipes:

Cookin' Canuck's Mini Guacamole & Tomato Olive Cups {Healthy Snack}
Cookin' Canuck's Quinoa, Blueberry & Avocado Salad
Created By Diane's Avocado Cheesecake with Pistachio Crust
Dine & Dish' Lavash with Hot Spinach Avocado Dip
I Wash, You Dry's Spicy Guacamole Bacon Burger
Average Betty's Grilled Chicken Banh Mi with Avocado Cucumber Relish

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Light Chocolate Avocado Bread Pudding with Maple Rum Sauce Recipe

A gloriously rich chocolate bread pudding, made light with a secret ingredient...avocado. It's finished off with a maple rum sauce.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Bread Pudding

Prep Time: 35

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1 20

Servings: Servings

Calories: 210kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

The Bread Pudding:

¾ cup evaporated fat-free milk
⅔ cup skim milk
½ California avocado
2 eggs
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons dark rum
5 cups cubed crusty whole wheat bread

The sauce:

½ cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 tablespoons half-and-half divided
pinch of salt

Instructions

The Bread Pudding:

In a blender, combine the evaporated milk, skim milk and avocado. Puree until smooth.
Add the eggs, cocoa powder, maple syrup and dark rum. Puree until combined.
Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and pour the avocado mixture over the bread. Stir to completely coat the bread.
Lightly coat an 8- by 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Transfer the bread mixture to the baking pan, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the baking pan in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Pour hot water into the large baking dish until it reaches about 1-inch up the side of the smaller baking pan.
Bake until a sharp knife inserted in the center of the bread pudding comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
Cut into 9 pieces. Serve each piece with 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of the sauce.

The Sauce:

In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup, rum and butter. Bring to a boil of medium-high heat, whisking frequently.
Add 3 tablespoons of half-and-half, reduce to a simmer and cook, whisking frequently, until the sauce starts to thicken, 7 to 8 minutes.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining tablespoon of half-and-half and the salt.

Notes

From the kitchen of Cookin' Canuck | cookincanuck.com

Nutrition

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Comments

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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