Croissants have a high butter percentage and tons of thin layers which means that as bread pudding they hydrate fast and give a tender, silky interior with just enough laminated structure left behind to feel pastry-adjacent. The brown sugar in the custard caramelizes slightly and tastes like “toffee French toast.” The lemon cream cheese topping mimics the cheese danish filling, but instead of hiding it in the custard, we keep it on top so it bakes into puffy, tangy islands. At the end, the fruit jam and simple icing turns this into a full pastry energy, except you made it in a single pan.
Yield: 1 loaf (about 8 slices)
Total Time: 70 to 80 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 to 60 minutes
Ingredients
For the Custard and Base:
- 6 butter croissants (about 16 to 18 oz total), 1 to 2 days old, rough chopped
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
For the Custard:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For Topping:
- 3 to 4 tablespoons jam (raspberry, cherry, strawberry, and apricot are all excellent)
- Simple icing: mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 teaspoons milk (or lemon juice)
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard loaf pan with parchment.
Step 2
Whisk eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl.
Step 3
Add chopped croissants to a large bowl. Pour the custard over them and toss gently to coat. Let stand 8 to 10 minutes to fully hydrate.
Step 4
In a mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt together until smooth.
Step 5
Transfer soaked croissants and any extra custard into the loaf pan. Dollop the cream cheese topping across the top in small spoonfuls.
Step 6
Place in the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. The center will puff and be set (slight jiggle is okay).
Step 7
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift the loaf out using the parchment and cool for 10 more minutes. Spread jam over the top and drizzle with icing.