Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is basically a giant upgraded french toast casserole. Super-quick to whip up and of course it’s a great use for stale bread, but just because it’s easy as can be doesn’t mean it’s not amazingly delicious! I used brioche instead of plain white bread then whipped up my favorite brandy sauce and poured liberally on top.

Growing up, my family would have bread pudding for breakfast whenever there was a loaf of stale bread hanging around, my mom would add raisins (not my favorite) and we’d eat it with maple syrup. My version elevates the dish with a creamy custard and amazing rum sauce. Still super-easy but even more delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions

What bread is best for bread pudding?

Any white bread will work well but you get bonus points if it’s stale and it’s even better if you choose an eggy bread like brioche or challah.

What can I add to bread pudding?

• Toasted pecans
• Chocolate chips
• Marshmallows
• Brandy, rum or bourbon to the custard (two tablespoons to 1/4 cup)
• Raisins

How do you store leftover bread pudding?

Stored in an airtight container your bread pudding will keep for up to four days in the refrigerator. You can add extra sauce onto the pudding before chilling or store separately.

Can you freeze bread pudding?

Bread pudding will keep in the freezer for two months; wrap well. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and warm in microwave or in the oven for best results.

How to make Bread Pudding

1. Chop your bread into roughly one inch pieces. This is the perfect used for stale bread but if you are just craving an amazing bred pudding then fo get a nice loaf of eggy bread like challah or brioche and cut away!

2. Add the milk, butter, salt and sugar to a small pot and place over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until milk just starts to bubble then remove from heat.

3. Stir in vanilla extract. If you’d like to make this with a traditional twist then add a few tablespoons to 1/4 cup of brandy, rum or bourbon. This is not necessarily so if you’re serving to a mixed crowd then stick with vanilla extract.

4. Once the milk has cooled down a bit you can add the eggs and yolk and whisk together until combined.

5. Fill the baking dish with your cubed of bread. It’s best to try and fill in most for the gaps and have a fairly level surface on top. If you have a mound of bread in your dish the custard won’t  be able to soak into the higher pieces.

6. Pour the custard onto the bread. I like to reserve about a cup of the custard to carefully spoon onto the bread so there are not dry pieces sneaking by before baking. Pop into the preheated oven set at 350F and bake for about 40-50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from the center. Baking time can be affected by the material your dish is made of as well as it’s size.

After baking for about 40 minutes your bread pudding will be toasted at the tips and a knife insetted into the center will come out clean. You can serve as is, with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or you can whip up a quick rum sauce, which is a traditional accompaniment for bread pudding.

How to make Bread Pudding Sauce

1. Scald two cups of milk. Melt butter over medium heat then add two tablespoons of flour. For some extra flavor you can brown the butter a bit, just cook it until you see the color darken a bit.

2. Whisk over heat for about a minute. Keep that flour moving!

3. Add your scalded milk in a bit at a time while whisking over heat. Add the brown sugar and salt then stir until thickened. Don’t leave the pot unattended, that’s always when it boils over!

4. Once the Sauce has thickened pour in the brandy or whichever spirit you prefer and mix in. The sauce is best warm but can be reheated if you’re making this in advance or enjoying leftovers. You can of course use vanilla instead of

Pro Tips for the Best Bread Pudding

• Use stale bread. If your bread is fresh then bake 250F for 10 minutes on a sheet after cubing. This will help dry it out so it can soak up more custard.
• More soaking time is great! Your pudding is best when the bread is fully saturated.
• Don’t stress about the exact amount of bread, it’s a vehicle for your custard but you can always scale the dish size down or up a bit.
• Add toasted pecans, raisins, chocolate chips, or whatever else strikes your fancy. This dessert is really adaptable and forgiving.
• You can totally add brandy, rum or bourbon the the custard. Stir in a few tablespoons to 1/4 cup after the sauce has thickened.
• If you want a crisper top increase temp to 400 degrees F after the custard has set and move the baking dish to the top rack. Bake for an additional 5 minutes.

If you’ve tried this bread pudding recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

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5 from 12 votes

Bread Pudding

An easy to make but delicious bread pudding you can serve with a decadent brandy sauce.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, english, French

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 9 people

Calories 377kcal

Author John Kanell

Ingredients

For the Bread Pudding:

• 15 oz brioche
• 2 cups scalded milk
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 eggs large
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or paste

For the Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
• 2 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or paste
• 1/4 cup brandy or rum or bourbon
• 1 pinch salt plus more to taste

Instructions

For the Bread Pudding:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly butter your baking dish.
• Cube the bread into manageable pieces, roughly one inch in size. Add to an 8x8 baking dish.
  
• Add milk, sugar, salt and butter to a small pot and place over medium heat. Stir occasionally until scalded. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
• Once cooled a bit stir in the vanilla then whisk in the eggs one at a time.
• Pour custard over the bread. It's a good idea to reserve some to spoon over the top. This will let you soak any dry pieces on top.
  
• Set it aside for about 20-30 minutes so the bread can soak the liquid in. This is optional but it helps to give the bread time to soak up all of that custard.
• Bake for about 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees F. You bread pudding is done when a knife inserted in the center comes out cleanly.

For the Sauce:

• Over a medium low heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for about 1 min (don't stop whisking)
• Add scalded milk a bit at a time while whisking then mix in the brown sugar and and salt.
  
• Stir until over heat until thickened.
• Remove from heat, stir in brandy, rum or bourbon. You can also flavor with a tablespoon of vanilla extract instead.
• Pour over bread pudding while warm. You can make the sauce in advance and reheat on the stove before using.

Notes

• Use stale bread. If your bread is fresh then bake 250F for 10 minutes on a sheet after cubing. This will help dry it out so it can soak up more custard.
• More soaking time is great! Your pudding is best when the bread is fully saturated.
• Don't stress about the exact amount of bread, it's a vehicle for your custard but you can always scale the dish size down or up a bit.
• Add toasted pecans, raisins, chocolate chips, or whatever else strikes your fancy. This dessert is really adaptable and forgiving.
• You can totally add brandy, rum or bourbon the the custard. Stir in a few tablespoons to 1/4 cup after the sauce has thickened. 
• If you want a crisper top increase temp to 400 degrees F after the custard has set and move the baking dish to the top rack. Bake for an additional 5 minutes.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6.4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 270mg | Potassium: 200mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 750IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 1.3mg

*Nutrition Disclaimer

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