My family adores this rich and decadent Challah Bread Pudding with Kahlua Cream Sauce. It was also the favorite recipe of a dear friend who I miss very much. Every time I make it I think of her.
Those who read my blog regularly probably noticed an uncharacteristic silence lately. I haven’t posted a new recipe for a few weeks now. I’ve been receiving emails and messages from many of you wondering where I’ve gone.
First of all, I want to thank you for all your kind words. I’m doing fine. I just needed to hit pause for a few weeks. Some pretty major shifts have been happening around me, forks in the road that have made me step back and reevaluate my priorities. The blog had started feeling like an obligation, a chore. That was never my intention.
I always wanted my recipes and posts to reflect my passion for life. The idea was to share positive energy and my love for cooking. Suddenly I felt myself dreading it all—the writing, the photography, the comment moderation, the endless sharing on social media—all of the things that professional bloggers do to keep their audiences engaged and growing. It began to feel like a business, which is not what I envisioned in the beginning. I always wanted this to be a cozy cooking community, a place where food lovers could share their thoughts and learn from each other. Instead, I was fielding endless media requests and sponsored post opportunities and advertising requests. I needed a chance to disconnect and breathe.
Then I lost a close friend, and the disconnection turned to introspection. I’m writing this post from a vacation condo in Hawaii, in the very same complex where I started my blog on January 1, 2010. Life has a funny way of coming full circle. The day I started my blog, I was filled with excitement and a bit of fear. Food blogging was still somewhat new, and I truly had no idea what I was doing. But I overcame my nerves and pressed publish, never realizing what a strange, crazy, amazing journey this website would take me on.
Tori and Beth at Sammy’s Roumanian in 2010
A few weeks after I started my blog, my husband and I sat down with our good friend Beth Trachtenberg. We ate a meal together at Sammy’s Roumanian in New York City. Beth expressed to me how much she admired my blog. She was an astute and tenacious businesswoman, someone I greatly admired. I was excited when she told me that she believed I had a future as an important voice in the food world. It was gratifying to know that this woman, a successful producer and one of the smartest people I knew, believed in me.
Over the next few years Beth took on the role of mentor, manager, friend and confidant. She helped me grow the blog from a small corner of the web into one of the top food blogs in the country. But Beth was more than a business associate; she held a very special place in my heart. She helped my husband launch his passion project, a musical that he’d wanted to produce since childhood. She was there when I married the love of my life. She became part of our family. Like true family we experienced ups and downs, but we never lost that deep feeling of connection. She was a rare soul.
Beth speaking at my wedding reception in 2011
It’s difficult to imagine navigating the journey of my life without Beth. I’m not going to go into her illness here, because she never wanted to be viewed as a victim. She was incredibly strong to the very end, and I don’t believe she wanted us to grieve. Instead, I think she would prefer for us to remember her as she was in life… a two-time Jeopardy champion, brilliant and vital and warm and loving, smiling and often laughing hysterically. She was always eating something naughty and delicious yet never seemed to gain a pound. She loved Israel passionately. She adored sunbathing and traveling and binge watching great TV shows. She drank Coke instead of wine and had friends in every city. There will never be another like Beth.
In Hawaii remembering Beth
I had already decided to take a break from blogging when I heard the news that Beth had passed away. Five years after that fateful lunch at Sammy’s Roumanian, I found myself on vacation in Hawaii in the very same spot where this blog began. I took this past week by the water to recharge and connect with my family. I slept a lot and didn’t spend much time on my phone or laptop. More than anything else, I took time to mourn my dear friend Beth. It’s very hard to imagine a world without her.
Beth and Tori, 2010
I’ll be back with new recipes soon. Meanwhile, I wanted to re-share Beth’s favorite recipe from my collection. Beth enjoyed cooking and she never counted calories… just one of the many ways she lived life to the fullest. Whenever she came out for a visit she always asked me to make my “famous” Challah Bread Pudding. In loving memory of Beth I’m posting it just the way she liked it, topped with warm Kahlua cream sauce.
Note: You may see some comments below that date all the way back to 2010. That’s because this is an update of an older post; the recipe has not changed, but I have rephotographed it in honor of my friend Beth.
Challah Bread Pudding with Kahlua Cream Sauce
Ingredients
Challah Bread Pudding Ingredients
- 1 loaf plain (unseeded) challah bread day old is okay
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 quart half and half
- 6 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups raisins and/or chocolate chips optional
Kahlua Cream Sauce Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Dash of salt
- 1 tablespoon Kahlua liqueur
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
NOTES
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the challah bread into 1-inch cubes. You’ll need about 12 cups of loosely packed cubes. If you don’t have enough challah on hand, you can mix in any kind of light-colored bread to make up the difference (white, buttermilk, Hawaiian). Spread into a single layer on two cookie sheets, place in oven, and lightly toast the cubes for 7-8 minutes until they are dry and just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium. Toast the chopped walnut pieces, stirring constantly, until they begin the lighter colored parts of the walnut flesh begin to brown. Remove from heat.
- In a very large mixing bowl, combine half and half, beaten eggs, sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg and salt. Use an electric mixer or immersion blender to thoroughly blend all ingredients.
- Pour the toasted challah cubes, chopped walnuts, and raisins into the liquid mixture. Stir all ingredients together for a couple of minutes until the bread cubes have soaked up most of the liquid. You may have to lightly mash some of the bread cubes down to make sure they’re fully immersed in liquid.
- Generously grease a 9×13 baking dish or pan. Pour the bread pudding mixture into the dish, being sure to scrape any excess liquid from the bowl. Cover tightly with foil.Bake pudding at 350 degrees F for 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours. Take off the foil after 1 hour to let the top brown.
- The pudding is done when the top is brown and springy to the touch. The center of the pudding should be baked through, not liquid. Serve warm topped with Kahlua Cream Sauce.
- To make the Kahlua Cream Sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add heavy whipping cream to the pan, whisking to blend with the butter.
- Add egg, sugar, flour, nutmeg and salt to the pan. Whisk continuously for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Whisk in Kahlua and vanilla.
- Serve warm atop freshly baked bread pudding.
Nutrition
Mama Tori and daughter Avelynn (Avey)Stewart from Texas here!
Thank you for sharing your heart and for sharing your delicious recipes. What a beautiful way to honor your friend, Beth.
We had a get together yesterday and I made this. Starting at about noon with shopping, we made the challah, then pudding. It was absolutely amazing. It is a keeper, for sure. My husband adores bread pudding and he was so surprised (and very pleased) that I gave this recipe a try. Very straightforward with gourmet results.
Thanks, again!
Ha! Love your names! So pleased you enjoyed the recipe, it is truly a favorite with our family. It’s the sauce that takes it over the top!
Tori – I’m so sorry for your loss. Blessings as you rebuild.
Bread pudding with your Kahlua sauce is a yearly tradition on our Christmas and New Year’s tables!
Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend.
Challah bread is one of my favorite treats. There is nothing like a good loaf of challah!
Sending a hug,
Candi
So sorry to hear about your friend. She seems like she was a fantastic person. I know i cannot fully understand how you feel, and i never know what to say at times like this. Just know that she will live on not only in your thoughts, your heart, but in the person that you are- and in that, in the lives of the people that you touch…
Is it possible to make this recipe without the eggs and how /?
So sorry for your loss Tori. I hope her memory will live on in all of those whom lives she touched. Enjoy every day to the fullest, even if that means not working!
Sorry to hear you have lost your dear friend and mentor, Beth. Dealing with the public can be very taxing and consuming, please don’t feel as though you need to reply to my posts, I know exactly what you mean and it does take over your life and turn from a positive idea to a burden. Enjoy life, live it the best way you can. When you are able to start sharing again, I for one will enjoy it, no pressure.
Thank you for sharing your loss with us – my deepest sympathies to you and all who loved Beth. The recipe looks delicious ++++, and every time I make it I will remember Beth and you.
Sorry for the loss of your dear friend.
Last November I found out that my friend from school over 40 years ago passed away. I never knew she was sick, but I was able to see her family at the funeral home with my son.
I will never forget her as I’m sure you will not forget yours.
I’m so glad you’re back. I’m so sorry for everything. I too, missed your recipes, many of which I’ve printed out. If not going by the book(which is usually never), I use your entries as a springboard for meals that I cook here in Santa Rosa. NorCal renewed my enthusiasm for cooking; it’s a virtual bounty of delicious and fresh ingredients up here.
I can tell you by indirect experience that writing about food is a tough task. I did recipe testing for a friend of mine when a publisher picked up her vanity press book. I knew a little bit of what she was going through, and it seemed to be grueling!
Keep up the good work! Take it easy too!
Regards,
Bill
I am so very sorry for your loss.
It sounded like she was an extraordinary friend to you. Hang to the good memories.
Long life to and your family.
BDE,
Karen
Aloha Tori, and thank you for sharing the story of your friend and friendship with her, and certainly no worries – your thoughts, perspectives, and recipes are valued whenever and wherever they may appear. Perhaps you needn’t necessarily look at it as an obligation; perhaps you might discover a middle path in which you simply post what you want, when you are inspired to. Either way, your collective and fascinating labor of love to date will always stand on its own value and merit. And no matter what, those who are interested will continue to appreciate it, as long as there is a place where it may be found. Just some thoughts for whatever you might find them to be worth. Mahalo (from your other place of inspiration), Rich
So happy to have you back. The Challah Bread dish looks lovely; can hadly wait to make it for my family. Best wishes for you and yours. Blessings.
Sorry to hear you’ve lost such a dear friend. Hope your stay in Hawai’i will help in the healing process — I was there last year when my mom passed away.
Totally understand why you needed to step away from the blog for awhile to reassess your priorities. I take a summer blog break every year to re-charge. Making recipes, photographing and editing, writing and researching posts, promoting on social media — all of it is a lot of work! I’ve been at it for 8 years and like you, don’t want to continue without the same passion and dedication I had at the beginning.
It’s hard to get into the momentum of blogging once you take a break, but what gets me going every time is the wonderful community of online friends who welcome me back and support me no matter what.
We’re so glad to see you back online. Thanks for all you do to sustain this “cozy cooking community.” 🙂
I am so sorry for your loss. I am sure both of your lives have been enriched by knowing each other. Wish you the strength to deal with what comes next.
I am glad you took a break if it felt like a constant source of stress. Unfortunately I still feel this way about mine and not sure I will be back to posting regularly. It is only natural everything evolves and we make decisions I guess. Good luck with everything.
Love, ilke
It is funny I have never read a blog, but when I read that you had taken a break I was concerned. I just wanted you to know how much my family appreciates your recipes. They can not wait until I try another. I am not the best cook, but I can always make something from you, because you explain it so well. Funny the other day I was sharing with a good friend recipes and we both realized we got them at the same place, you
Thank you, and hope you are feeling better soon,Karen
Best ever!!!!! And so glad your back. Missed you!
May her memory be for a blessing.
Tori,
I am sorry for the loss of your dear friend. I hope that you find the passion you once had sharing these recipes. I know that your recipes have inspired my family to learn and share different cultures, ideas and of course food. I love the creativity you share and the love that you put into all of your posts. I enjoy your blog so much and hope you find a way to keep on trekking. Just know that you have people around the world that you have touched and that the job you are doing here matters!
Stephanie
P.S. Maybe you should get an assistant to help you with the more monotonous parts of the blog upkeep. You could have someone photograph. As you make the recipe you could speak and record yourself. Have someone else edit and write it up for you. Voila! Easier 🙂
May her memory be for a blessing,Tori.