Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Bread Pudding

Put me on a desert island with one dessert, and I’ll pick bread pudding. Put me on a desert island with rhubarb and strawberries, and I might actively evade rescue. Strawberry rhubarb bread pudding is one of my all-time favorites dishes, and this vegan version is every bit as scrumptious as a full-fat dairy one–it’s a perfect mix of rich yet light, tart yet sweet, and humble yet titillating. And it’s easy as pie (I think someone should consider retooling that idiom to “easy as bread pudding”). It’s really just a glorified casserole, but ah, what a glorious casserole! My favorite trick with bread pudding is to bake it in a springform pan–instead of having a baking-pan dessert, you can instead unmold it for a slightly more glamorous presentation. You can also use a loaf pan and scoop it out with an ice cream scoop, or use a muffin pan to make individual puddings.

6 cups stale bread cubes (about 1 lb)
1 cup sliced rhubarb
2 cups sliced strawberries
2-2 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (rice, almond, hemp, soy)
3 tablespoons arrowroot powder or tapioca flour
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberry Rhubarb Compote

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees and lightly grease a 9 by 5 loaf pan or a springform pan.

2. Place bread in a large bowl. In another bowl add 1 1/2 cups milk, maple syrup, and vanilla–whisk until combined. In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup milk and the arrowroot powder till no lumps remain, then add to other milk mixture and stir. Pour milk mixture over bread and stir to coat every piece; let sit for at least 15 minutes for liquid to saturate the bread.

3. If bread looks dry, depending on type and staleness, it might need more milk. If so, continue adding 1/2 cup milk at a time until all break is pretty soaked–it should be mushy. Fold in rhubarb and strawberries and put in pan.

4. Bake about 30 minutes, or until top is slightly browned and firm. Allow to cool a bit, then scoop, slice or unmold from springform pan, serve with strawberry rhubarb compote.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Read more: All recipes, Desserts, Food

By Melissa Breyer, Senior Editor, Healthy & Green Living

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

J.L. A.

7:59AM PST on Mar 6, 2012

yum!

send a green star

Micheal M.

8:40AM PST on Feb 4, 2012

"Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food." Hippocrates
we must light up the darkness for knowledge is not power its empowering lets all be empowered to change. life has value beyond measure
Peace and Love

KS G.

4:48AM PST on Nov 30, 2011

Thanks for the article.

Michele W.

1:36AM PDT on Oct 18, 2011

Thank you

Jennifer C.

8:11PM PDT on May 29, 2011

Thanks for sharing the yummy recipe.

Jon H.

5:53AM PDT on Apr 19, 2011

Thank you. My friend is vegan and I forwarded it to her.