This Bread Pudding Souffle with Whiskey Sauce is a recipe from one of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans! It’s such a warm and delicious dessert that’s perfect for special occasions!
Bread Pudding Souffle with Whiskey Sauce
One of the highlights of my time in New Orleans was going to Commander’s Palace for Brunch Sunday morning. It’s hard to explain the ambiance of the restaurant, it’s nothing like you’ve ever seen before, or at least that I have ever seen. A long line of waiters lined the halls and greeted us as we walked through the door and balloons were centerpieces at every table. You also get a live band that plays at your own table. The food was…..unforgettable. Scroll down, you’ll see what I mean.
So, here we are just walking off the bus, snapping photos like crazy as we did at everything 🙂 To the right is Adam, Matt and Brooke looking great!
Here are those waiters that greeted us at the door and the balloons at each table. So fun and festive. It was also a treat to see some of the local women in their fancy Sunday hats as well. So different from what I am used to.
We got to walk through the giant kitchen to see all the kitchen staff hard at work.
More table shots
Tables were placed by big windows with gorgeous views of lush green trees.
What to Eat at Commander’s Palace Restaurant
Alright onto the food we enjoyed at Commander’s. We started with a single fried Oyster with Caviar and the Brandy Milk Punch (minus the Brandy) Both were a dream, especially that milk. It tasted like melted vanilla ice cream, yum!
Marla had that gorgeous salad and I ordered trio of soups that included a turtle soup. That was another first for me 🙂
Here were the guys from the band. Loved them!
Here were some of the brunch entrees that came out. Aren’t they gorgeous?
Amanda ordered this shrimp that was probably the best shrimp I have tasted. Want it again!
I ordered the White Chocolate Blueberry Pancakes…..they were as good as they look.
Photo via Marla Meridith
Amanda, Marla and me at our table, love these gals!
Dessert was a dream. Here is the Cookie Dough Bread Pudding.
The Pralines dessert and the Strawberry Shortcake. Both delicious.
The cheesecake was so photogenic and tasted even better.
This Bread Pudding Souffle was my favorite and I have the recipe for you from the restaurant! Enjoy friends!
Bread Pudding Souffle with Whiskey Sauce
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
Souffle
- butter for greasing pan & ramekins
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 3 medium eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 cups New Orleans French Bread cut into 1-inch cubes, see cook's note
- 1/3 cup raisins
Whiskey Sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup bourbon
Meringue
- 9 medium egg whites room temperature
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 3/4 cup sugar
Instructions
Souffle
- Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs until smooth, and then work in the heavy cream. Add the vanilla, stir to combine, and then the bread cubes. Let stand so that bread soaks up custard.
- Place the raisins in the greased pan. Top with the bread mixture, which prevents the raisins from burning.
- Bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes or until the pudding has a golden brown color and is firm to the touch. If a toothpick inserted in the pudding comes out clean, it is done. The mixture should be moist, not runny or dry. Cool to room temperature.
Whiskey Sauce
- Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Whisk cornstarch and water together, and add to cream while whisking. Bring to a boil. Whisk and let for a few seconds, taking care not to burn the mixture on the bottom. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the sugar and the bourbon. Taste to make sure the sauce has a thick consistency, a sufficiently sweet taste, and a good bourbon flavor. Cool to room temperature.
Meringue
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 6 (6-ounce) ramekins and set aside.
- Make certain that the bowl and whisk are completely clean. The egg whites should be completely free of yolk, and they will better if they are at room temperature. This dish needs a good, stiff meringue.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), whip egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Add the sugar gradually, and continue whipping until shiny and thick. Test with a clean spoon. If the whites stand up stiff, like shaving cream when you pull out the spoon, the meringue is ready. Do not over-whip, or the whites will break down and the souffle will not work.
Assembling Your Souffle
- In a large bowl, break half of the bread pudding into pieces using your hands or a spoon. Gently fold in 1/4 of the meringue, being careful not to lose the air in the whites. Add a portion of this base to each of the ramekins.
- Place the remaining bread pudding in the bowl, break into pieces, and carefully fold in the rest of the meringue. Top off the souffles with this lighter mixture. Smooth and shape tops with a spoon into a dome over the ramekin rim.
- Bake immediately for approximately 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately. Using a spoon, at the table, poke a hole in the top of each souffle, and pour the room temperature whiskey sauce inside the souffle.
Notes
Nutrition
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Have a great day, I’ll be dreaming of Commander’s Palace 🙂
Welcome to my online kitchen! Picky Palate is where you’ll find family friendly recipes along with the best Disney eats, tips and copycat recipes! 
I love New Orleans, and Commander’s Palace is one of the places I always visit.
What an original and fantastic list! I can’t wait to get started….thank you for sharing your great ideas.
Love the pictures! I had the pleasure of eating at the Chef’s Table and it was Incredible!!!! One of my top 10 best experiences…if you ever get the chance don’t hesitate!!
I will for sure try Chef’s Table if I make it back to New Orleans!
I think I saw a show on this restaurant on food network canada here in Toronto. It was about the re-opening after the hurricane, but I could be wrong. Looked amazing then and it looks great through your images. Thanks.
Thanks Mike. I haven’t seen that show, but it seems like someone else was telling me that they had to close down for a bit after the hurricane.
All the food looked great, but those pancakes look unreal. Looking at them makes me want to start dieting 😉
This native New Orleanian loves that you enjoyed Commander’s and thanks you for the recipe! Try them at lunch sometime for their famous 25 cent martinis!
My husband and I went to NO a little over a year ago. All he wanted to do was go to Commander’s Palace for Sunday brunch. (He’s from Louisiana.) I thought ok – how good could this be?? Well, as you can see from the pics, it was a highlight of the trip! He raved about the bread pudding. Now, you’re sharing the recipe. Thanks for the memories in pics. Can’t wait to go again.
Jenny, it was so fun to relive this amazing brunch this morning. Can we go back like now! I love you girl, always a BLAST when we get to spend time together 🙂 #NOLA
Cookie dough bread pudding?! :-O wooowwwww!!!! I love the photos you included of the band too – it gives such a beautiful feel of the atmosphere I think!
This looks like such a lovely dinner!!
This is my favorite restaurant in NOLA! I love that you were sitting in the garden room – so beautiful! I’m disappointed that no one got the bananas foster – I would kill someone or something to have a bite of it right now. I am living vicariously through your posting right now! Glad y’all had a great time!
It all looks incredible! So fun that you get to travel around and do this for a living! How’s a girl get so lucky?!
My husband and I enjoyed Sunday Brunch at Commander’s Palace a little over a year ago on one of our many trips to New Orleans. It is truly an amazing experience. We especially loved the Garden Dining Room looking out into the courtyard. We met Lolly Brennan who was absolutely delightful. Can’t wait to go back!
Looks like a blast! That cookie dough bread pudding also looks super delicious. Actually, everything does!
Looks like you had a lot of fun!!
Those are some yummy looking photos! Great recipe too. Mmm.
looks like so much fun! i am going back to NOLA for xmas this year and commander’s palace is on my list!
I would love to make the Bread Pudding but know I can’t find New Orleans French bread – what can I substitute?
I would like to know that as well! I read the recipe and was trying to figure out an alternative.
I think I gained 5 pounds just reading this. How did you manage all of that wonderful food???
I have such good memories of eating there. If you ever go in the winter you must have the turtle soup; it is one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.
What a fun trip and an amazing meal, Jenny. That bread pudding recipe with the whiskey sauce sounds amazing.
It all looks beautiful!
I love seeing everyone’s take on the same trip! It was hard not to drool on the keyboard!
Wonderful photos! Looks like so much fun and all the food looks amazing. That bread pudding souffle sounds out of this world!
Cookie Dough Bread Pudding
The photogenic cheesecake
Bread Pudding Souffle With Whiskey Sauce…<—-that sauce. omg. drool. I love making bananas foster and just drinking the rum + brown sugar sauce. I know, I admit it 🙂
The time with everyone, and Marla, and Amanda, and Matt…HOW AWESOME!
I would have loved to have been there! SO FUN!
Wow, the food looks amazing! Especially the desserts, I wouldn’t know which one to have!