Mushroom Bread Pudding (Czech Hubník)

Hubnik, Czech mushroom bread pudding slices, served on a plate with a fork.

Mushroom Bread Pudding (Czech Hubník)

Hubnik, a tasty bread pudding made with dried mushrooms, comes from the Czech Krkonose Mountains. Since my dad's family is from this area, we have made it every Christmas for years. Here is the recipe!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Czech

Keyword Recipe with mushrooms

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings slices

Calories 354kcal

Author Petra Kupská

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk
4 cups cubed stale white bread such as French baguettes
4 ounces pork bacon slab
2 full hands dried mushrooms
4 eggs
5 cloves garlic peeled and pressed
2 Tablespoons semolina (or Farina / Cream of Wheat)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper ground

To grease the baking dish:

1 teaspoon solid fat to grease the dish
2 Tablespoons breadcrumbs to dust the dish

Cups - Metric

Instructions

DO THIS FIRST: Peel and press or mash 5 cloves garlic. Dice 4 ounces pork bacon slab finely.
Pour about two cups of water into a pot and throw in 2 full hands dried mushrooms. Bring to a boil over high heat on the stovetop. Reduce the heat and boil gently for 10 minutes.
Remove the cooked mushrooms with a slotted spoon or sieve, drain, and cut them into smaller pieces. Keep the mushroom broth aside.
Meanwhile, place 4 cups cubed stale white bread in a large bowl, pour in 1 cup whole milk, and stir until the milk is absorbed.
Add diced bacon, 4 eggs, and pressed garlic to the soaked bread. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir well.
Pour in enough mushroom broth to make a semi-dense mixture. Be careful; if you add too much liquid, the resulting bread pudding gets watery. Add 2 Tablespoons semolina and stir until combined.
Grease a baking dish with 1 teaspoon solid fat and dust it with 2 Tablespoons breadcrumbs. This prevents the mushroom pudding from sticking to the bottom or sides during baking, making it easy to remove afterward. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the surface.
Preheat the oven to 380 °F. Bake the Hubník pudding for 30 minutes, until the surface turns golden.

Notes

The basic recipe makes 10 portions/slices.
SERVING: Serve the mushroom bread pudding warm, cut into slices or wide strips. We enjoy it as a lighter main dish. Some people add a slice of fresh bread or boiled potatoes, peeled and topped with melted butter.
Reheating: My dad always said that this mushroom pudding tastes even better the next day. To reheat, melt unsalted butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the sliced pudding in the pan and fry on both sides until warmed through.
When baking, the pudding in the dish will puff up. Once you remove it from the oven and let it cool, it will flatten again. Don't be alarmed; this is normal!

Nutrition