What a fun way to bake and serve bread pudding! Try heatproof jam jars or collectable vintage mason jars* for some added country charm. Perfect for breakfast in bed or brunch with friends!

By pastry chef Kyla Eaglesham

Yield: approximately 6 servings

4 eggs
2 cups 10% cream
1 cup milk
1/3 cup crème de maron (chestnut spread) or almond or cashew butter
1 tsp good-quality pure vanilla
1 loaf egg bread
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup large-flake oats plus 1 tbsp for garnish
chesnut crème anglaise

1. Beat eggs with cream and milk, crème de maron and vanilla in a large measuring cup. Set aside.
2. Cut bread (crusts on or off, your choice) into bite-sized pieces.
3. Toss bread with cinnamon and oats in a large airtight container.
4. Add egg and cream mixture to bread and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight).
5. Transfer to jars, filling each just over 3/4 full. (Mixture will not rise very much and you want a little crust on top.) Garnish with extra oats.
6. Bake in preheated oven (375 F) for 35-45 minutes. Bread pudding should be golden brown on top, and a skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean and only slightly moist.
7. Serve warm in jars with a side of chestnut crème anglaise (see recipe below).

*Baking time will vary depending on the width of the mouth of the jar.

Chestnut Crème Anglaise

1 cup 18% cream
4 egg yolks
2 tbsp crème de maron
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup white sugar

1. In a small, heavy (non-aluminum) saucepan, heat cream until bubbles form at edges.
2. While cream is heating, whisk together egg yolks, crème de maron, vanilla and sugar in a wide bowl until smooth. Slowly pour 1/2 cup of hot cream into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Gradually add yolk mixture back to remaining cream, whisking constantly.
3. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes until mixture coats the back of a spoon. You'll know the sauce has thickened enough if when you blow on the back of the spoon, it forms petals.

Baking beauty Kyla Eaglesham whipped up her first award-winning pie at the tender age of six. Now all grown up, the owner of Madeleines, Cherry Pie & Ice Cream serves near 30 mouth-watering varieties of sweet and savory pies (not to mention cakes and pastries!) at her adorable Toronto shop. Needless to say, this gal can bake. And lucky us, she regularly passes along some of her favourite recipes to us for our fans to enjoy!