Oh, my! I can't deal with an oven without mitts. My great auntie made lovely potholders but I can't use them. My skin cries. :) Word of caution--if the mitts you got aren't water shedding, don't use them near the hot water from the bain marie. It's like touching a hot pot with a wet potholder or towel, but your can't drop it until you can get the mitt off. Most are fine, but some are just pretty fabric. I have a pair of cute pink ones that I was given. Only, really, for taking a hot pot to the table because they're just cotton so not safe enough around water, and too pretty to use around spatter that will stain. :) The bread pudding will still be sweet, because there is sugar in the gingerbread, but it's going to have sausage and lots of spices and fresh ginger and onions. The other bread is one of my sourdough starter discard breads, also from the freezer, and it's very sour, so I'm hoping they'll cancel each other out. :) Congrats on delighting your suffering friend!!

Since you have a source for the doughnuts, you don't need one for the bread pudding. The basis of bread pudding is the custard. You need approximately 2 eggs per cup of milk and/or cream. Some people add an extra egg. Total volume is enough to cover the bread (doughnuts) when they're pushed down into the mixture. For doughnuts, I wouldn't add sugar, or not much. Next you have to decide on the texture you want. Do you want fixed shapes with sharp edges? Bumpy but not defined edges? No discernible shapes at all? A smooth even pielike texture? For sharp edges use a knife to cut the doughnuts. For bumpy, tear them. For blobs rather than bumps, tear and crumble them. For smooth pie type it doesn't matter, just soak them in the custard until they dissolve and use a slotted spoon to transfer them so you don't have excess custard turning it into bread quiche. :) Next stale the doughnut pieces. Leave them out for a few days if you can, or toast them in a low oven until they're good and dry but not crumble dry. If you want defined shapes, use a warmer oven (350° F) and let them get a little toasty brown. Do you want other lumps in the pudding? Apple bits, raisins, nuts? Whole nuts don't do as well as halved or lightly chopped, unless you want them very crunchy. Apple bits should be between peanut and macadamia nut size to hold up well while being pleasant. Eyeball your quantity of doughnut bits, or measure. I'd say no more than a cup of total mix-ins for three cups of "bread", and half a cup is probably plenty. Bread pudding shouldn't require a ton of chewing. But that's to taste. Mix up the custard and add any spices or flavorings you like. Quantity is hard because it depends on what you want it to taste like, whether you're grinding fresh, using a "wet" spice like Penzey's or a really dry one like most grocery stores sell. Generally, between 1/2-1 tsp of any particular spice and no more than a tablespoon total per quart of custard -- ish -- is a good approximation. You don't need to add any at all if the donuts have a lot of flavor. And if they have spicy crumbs, stir in the crumbs from cutting/tearing them. Some people add a quarter tsp. of salt. I don't think it's necessary, but might be a foil for the sweet if the doughnuts are really sugary. You can add the custard to the bread or the bread to the custard, then stir in the mix-ins (if you want crunchy nuts, stir them in at the end instead). Just have a bowl that's well more than big enough. Unless you're doing the sharp edges, put a plate that almost reaches the edges of your bowl on top of the mixture, and put a big can of tomato product, or other weight, on top. Let it sit to soak for half an hour and check. Doughnuts don't have a lot of structure so that might be plenty. Maybe even check in half that time. I've only done doughnuts mixed with bread. When the pieces seem saturated and at the correct texture (if they're too bumpy, let them soak longer), use a big spoon to transfer to your baking dish. This is the best way to make sure the mix-ins are well distributed, and you'll also be able to make sure the spices haven't pooled. Don't stir the mixture unless you want the smooth as pie version! Add enough custard so that the bits are mostly covered, but only barely, to prevent that quiche collar. Bake at 350° F for 35-45 minutes, unless it's huge which would take a bit longer. If you're serving right away, until the top is golden. If you're reheating later, until the custard is just barely set. Optional: If you like a topping, you can add any kind of crumble. Put some spices in that are reminiscent of the doughnuts, and maybe a spoon of applesauce too, but not so much flavor that it'll compete with the pudding. Just a hint. Optional: Cider hard sauce, either from hard apple cider or apple juice and brandy, would be excellent. Good luck with it!

One of the signature dishes served on the Holland America cruises is their bread pudding. I'm not a cook, and maybe this is too much work, but it really is delicious. Holland America’s Bread Pudding Cinnamon Sugar 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon Bread Pudding 4 large eggs 1 large egg yolk 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 1/2 cups whole milk 2 1/2 cups heavy cream 3 tablespoons rum, bourbon or Grand Marnier 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 tsp. lemon zest 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon table salt 12 ounces good quality American-style white bread (about 1/2 loaf), sliced 3/8-inch thick and cut into 1 1/2 -inch square pieces (about 8 cups) 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing pan Instructions For the Cinnamon Sugar: Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl; set aside. For the Pudding: Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Whisk eggs, yolk, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well. Whisk in milk, cream, bourbon, vanilla extract, nutmeg, lemon zest, and salt. Stir in 6 cups prepared bread; mix thoroughly to moisten. Let stand 20 minutes. Remove about 1 cup of soaked bread and 1 cup of soaking liquid to a food processor or blender and puree them until smooth, about 10 seconds. Pour puree into soaked bread and stir to combine. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Scatter remaining 2 cups bread pieces on top, pushing down gently to partially submerge. Brush exposed bread with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until pudding is deep golden brown, is beginning to rise up sides of baking dish, and jiggles very slightly at the center when shaken, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool until set but still warm, about 45 minutes. Serve with Crème Anglaise. Crème Anglaise: 1/2 vanilla bean , halved lengthwise 1 1/2 cups whole milk 5 large egg yolks 1/4 cup sugar Pinch salt Instructions With paring knife, scrape vanilla seeds free from pod. Place seeds, bean pod, and milk in medium saucepan and heat mixture over medium heat until steaming, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 20 minutes. Uncover, return mixture to medium heat, and heat until steaming, about 1 minute. Meanwhile, whisk yolks, sugar, and salt together in medium bowl until pale yellow in color, about 1 minute. Slowly pour 1/2 cup hot milk into yolk mixture to temper, whisking constantly. Return mixture to simmering milk all at once, whisking vigorously and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture thickens slightly, coats back of spoon with thin film, and registers 175 to 180 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 5 to 8 minutes. Immediately pour mixture through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl. Transfer to clean, airtight container, pressing piece of plastic wrap flush against surface to prevent sauce from forming skin. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.

I can't imagine good bread pudding made with such whimpy bread. All the good puds I've had were made with French or better.