With spicy chai flavors and juicy pear, this dish is a great way to use up your stale bread. It is vegan, gluten-free friendly, and full of nutrients. Add a caramel drizzle for a little extra sweetness!
A closer look at what’s inside:
Stale Bread
Use up your stale bread by making bread pudding — one of my favorite ways to repurpose this ingredient! The hardened texture is perfect for absorbing liquids and baking. No stale bread on hand? Leave fresh bread out for a few hours or lightly toast at low heat until dry.
Pears
Now is the time to use fresh pears in your recipes! Enjoying pears will add folate, vitamin C, copper, and potassium to your diet — along with polyphenol antioxidants. High in fiber, pears are wonderful for gut health and are prebiotic to boost beneficial bacteria.
Chai Tea Latte
I love the warm and spicy flavors of chai tea and it pairs perfectly with pears!. Chai tea is made using black tea and a handful of Indian spices like cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, ginger, and peppercorns. Brew a cup of chai tea latte by steeping your favorite chai tea with heated milk of choice for 5+ minutes.
Coconut Sugar
Baking with coconut sugar vs. cane sugar adds a slightly nutty flavor. Coconut sugar is also low glycemic index, meaning it won’t spike your insulin levels and cause a sugar crash later on.
Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are loaded with nutrients! They are particularly well-known for having omega-3 fatty acids and lignans beneficial for the heart, cancer prevention, and hormone balance. Use flaxseed meal in place of egg for a vegan binder in baked goods.
Dairy-Free Caramel Sauce
Add a touch of sweetness with a delicious dairy-free caramel sauce! This is my go to vegan caramel recipe using coconut sugar.
Pear + Chai Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed stale bread vegan + gluten-free if needed
- 2 pears chopped
- 2 3/4 cups chai tea latte
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- Dairy-free caramel for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
- Chop stale bread into chunks. If using fresh bread, lightly toast to dry it out.
- Add bread and chopped pear together in a bowl and set aside.
- In a blender mix chai tea latte, sugar, and flaxseed until well blended.
- Pour the liquid mixture over the bread and pear. Stir to combine.
- Transfer ingredients to baking dish(es) and place in the oven.
- Bake for 30-60 minutes, depending on the size of your dish(es).
- Drizzle with dairy-free caramel sauce.
