I have several great bread pudding recipes. Just have to hunt them down again.
Have a few that use bacon - both sweet and savory bread puddings. Some is mixed in and others have the bacon on top, glazed with a mix of usually brown sugar, butter and sometimes nuts.
And one that uses glazed donuts as part of the bread.
One thing I always add to my bread puddings, even if not in the recipe, is a little fresh grated nutmeg.
Damn now I really have to locate those recipes again so I can make them after I recover enough to use the oven.
My memory is hit and miss now but I seem to recall most of my recipes used in some combination heavy cream, half and half, evaporated milk and /or sweetened condensed milk. And some used extra egg yolks. So they were really rich.
I'm making a Pullman Loaf to go with the rustic loaves in the bread pudding.
Pictured is the mise-en-place (Stuff I'll need) for a pullman loaf. Including a pullman pan. Can't make it without that.
Lots of stuff, and lots of work, but I'll have a wide selection of bread to go in the pudding.
/johnny