Breakfast bread pudding ham cups. Breakfast will always be special and, as I’ve said before, the variety of items that constitute the day’s first meal remains endless. However, while I most often return to my favorite selections, I do find myself wanting to try new ways to cook, present, and interpret breakfast staples. Recently, I came across an innovative way to use three basic ingredients: bread, eggs, and ham.
Well, you might say how can one interpret those simple ingredients innovatively? Who has not created delectable scrambled eggs, omelets with ham, eggs benedict, French toast, casseroles and frittata. What if you reimagined the manner of assembly of eggs, ham, and bread by simply creating a ham cup in which you fold in eggs and bread. Seems odd, think twice.
Chrissy Teigen, whose recipe I interpreted, writes about shaping the ham like a cup: “You’re going to feel ridiculous doing this. It’s OK. Life is ridiculous.” I agree with her, and her instinct has created a simple yet innovative breakfast dish. After carefully setting the ham in a muffin pan or baking dish that is small enough to create an individual portion, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, with a touch of granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and, of course, a dash of salt—my preference is Kosher salt as it tastes less bitter than traditional salt.
While Teigen calls for day-old croissants, I favor white sliced bread, fresh or day-old, mainly because I cannot remember leaving a croissant unfinished, especially when made of rich butter, perfectly layered to create a delicate flaky texture and flavor! To complete the ham cups, fill them with the with the egg and bread mixture and bake until the tops are golden and the ham crispy.
Process to assemble the dish
Some may considerer this dish an illegimate child of the more famous bread pudding, but the presentation makes it a stand out. The crispness of the ham and the touch of vanilla and sugar lend a little sweetness to the eggs and bread and welcome you to a new day. To boot, it looks like fine dining!
To replicate this dish, please visit breakfast bread pudding ham cups