Coconut Bread Pudding with Pineapple Cream Sauce

Bread pudding is one of those desserts that sits right at the intersection of homely and luxurious, and pushing it in a tropical direction with coconut custard and a warm pineapple cream sauce makes it feel like something entirely new. The brioche soaks up a rich coconut custard, bakes until the top goes golden and crunchy while the inside stays soft and trembling, and the pineapple sauce — caramelised fruit, cream, a hit of rum if you're in the mood — cuts through the richness and ties the whole thing together.

How to bake

The bread is everything here, so start there. Brioche is the right choice because its butter content and soft crumb absorb custard beautifully without turning to mush. Cut it into 3cm cubes — too small and the pudding becomes dense and uniform, too large and you get dry pockets in the centre of each piece. If your brioche is fresh, spread the cubes on a sheet tray and dry them in a 150°C oven for about 10 minutes. You want them lightly stale, with dry edges but still soft inside — this lets them absorb the custard like a sponge. Truly day-old brioche can skip this step.

Build the custard in a large bowl. Whisk together the coconut milk (400ml), whole milk (250ml), double cream (150ml), eggs (4), caster sugar (150g), vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), and salt (1/2 teaspoon) until everything is smooth and uniform. The coconut milk does the heavy lifting flavour-wise, but the whole milk and cream balance it so the custard doesn't taste like you're drinking from a tin. Stir in the desiccated coconut (60g) — it rehydrates in the custard and gives the finished pudding a subtle texture throughout.

Add the brioche cubes and fold them gently into the custard, pressing them down so every piece is submerged. Cover and leave for at least 20 minutes, pressing the cubes back under the surface occasionally. You want the bread to feel heavy, waterlogged, and saturated — pick up a piece and squeeze it gently, and custard should ooze out. If the centres still feel dry, give it another 10 minutes. This soak is what makes the difference between a bread pudding that's custardy and one that's just wet bread.

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Brush a deep baking dish (about 23 × 30cm) generously with melted butter, making sure to get into the corners — this is what prevents sticking and gives you those caramelised edges. Pour the soaked bread and custard into the dish, spreading it into an even layer. Don't pack it down; you want some air between the pieces so the top gets crunchy while the inside stays soft. Drizzle any remaining melted butter over the top and scatter the demerara sugar (2 tablespoons) across the surface. The demerara is crucial — it melts into a crackly, caramelised crust that contrasts with the pillowy custard underneath.

Bake for 45-50 minutes. You're looking for a top that's deeply golden and crisp, edges that have pulled away slightly from the dish and turned dark and caramelised, and a centre that still has the faintest wobble when you shake the dish. That wobble is important — the residual heat will set the centre as it cools, and if you bake until it's completely firm, the pudding will be dry and chalky by the time you serve it. If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes, but don't cover it tightly or you'll steam the crust soft.

While the pudding bakes, make the pineapple cream sauce. Use a ripe pineapple — smell the base, and if it smells sweet and fragrant, it's ready. If it smells like nothing, the sauce will taste flat no matter what you do. Peel, core, and cut into small dice, about 1cm pieces.

Melt the butter (30g) in a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the diced pineapple (300g) along with the caster sugar (80g). Resist the urge to stir constantly — let the pineapple sit in contact with the pan so it caramelises, stirring only every couple of minutes. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the fruit is soft, the edges are golden, and the juices have reduced into a thick, syrupy glaze. This caramelisation is what transforms the sauce from "pineapple in cream" to something with real depth and complexity.

Remove the pan from heat and add the rum (2 tablespoons) if you're using it. The rum isn't essential, but a good dark rum adds a warmth and complexity that takes the sauce to another level. For a bit of theatre, return the pan to the burner and tilt the edge toward the flame — the alcohol ignites in a dramatic whoosh and burns off in a few seconds, leaving behind pure rum flavour without any boozy harshness. On an electric stove, use a long match or lighter held just above the surface. Once the flames die down, pour in the double cream (120ml) — it will seize and bubble violently, which is fine. Stir until smooth and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Finish with the lime juice (1 tablespoon) — this is non-negotiable, it lifts the entire sauce from cloying to bright — and a pinch of salt. Taste it. It should be sweet, tart, creamy, and warm all at once. Keep it warm while the pudding finishes baking.

Let the pudding rest for 10-15 minutes out of the oven before you serve. It needs time for the custard to set and for the temperature to come down from dangerously hot to enjoyably warm. Bread pudding served at a warm room temperature is better than bread pudding served at surface-of-the-sun temperature — you can actually taste it.

Bonus points

• Toast the desiccated coconut: Spread it on a tray and toast at 160°C for 5-7 minutes, tossing halfway, until golden and fragrant. Toasted coconut has twice the flavour of raw and adds a nuttiness that deepens the whole pudding.
• Use coconut cream instead of desiccated: Replace the desiccated coconut with 100ml of thick coconut cream stirred into the custard. The result is smoother and more refined, with the coconut flavour running through the custard itself rather than sitting as flecks of texture.
• Caramelised pineapple on top: Before baking, arrange thin slices of pineapple across the top of the pudding, brush with melted butter, and dust with demerara sugar. They'll caramelise into a beautiful, golden, fruit-studded crust.
• Rum-soaked brioche: Sprinkle the brioche cubes with 2 tablespoons of dark rum before adding the custard. It permeates the bread and makes the whole pudding taste warmer and more complex.
• Coconut tuile: Spread a thin layer of a mixture of egg white (1), icing sugar (50g), melted butter (30g), and desiccated coconut (40g) onto a silicone mat and bake at 180°C for 6-8 minutes until golden. Break into shards and stand one in each portion for a dramatic textural contrast.
• Passion fruit drizzle: Halve 3-4 passion fruits, scoop the pulp into the finished pineapple cream sauce, and stir through. The tartness and the seeds add another layer of tropical brightness.
• Malibu whipped cream: Whip 200ml of cold double cream with 1 tablespoon of icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of Malibu to soft peaks. A cold, boozy cloud on top of the warm pudding is an excellent contrast.

Serving

Scoop generous portions of the warm pudding into shallow bowls and spoon the pineapple cream sauce over and around each serving — be generous, this is not a drizzle situation. The sauce should pool around the base and run into the crevices of the pudding.

For a more composed plate, cut the pudding into neat squares with a sharp knife, lift each piece onto a warmed plate, and spoon the sauce alongside rather than over, keeping the caramelised crust on display. A quenelle of cold whipped cream or a small scoop of coconut ice cream on the side adds temperature contrast that makes the dish feel more polished.

This is also excellent served family-style — bring the whole baking dish to the table with the sauce in a warm jug and let people serve themselves. It's a generous, convivial dessert that suits a dinner party where the mood has loosened up.

For drinks, a glass of Sauternes or Barsac matches the richness and tropical fruit notes beautifully. A late-harvest Riesling from Alsace works if you prefer something with more acidity. For something non-wine, a dark rum and ginger beer, or simply strong espresso, cuts through the sweetness and resets the palate.