Bread pudding with creamy homemade vanilla sauce is the best way to use stale bread! Milk, sugar, cinnamon, and eggs make a rich custard that tastes like French toast!
6cupsstale breadcut into 2-inch cubes (I like brioche or challah)
2cupswhole milk(480ml)
½cupgranulated sugar(100g)
3tablespoonsunsalted butter
1teaspoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonsalt
3largeeggs
1tablespoonvanilla extract
For the Vanilla Sauce:
1cupwhole milk(240ml)
1cupheavy cream(240ml)
½cuppacked light brown sugar(110g)
2tablespoonsunsalted butter
2tablespoonscornstarch
1tablespoonvanilla extract or paste
Saltto taste (optional)
Instructions
For the Bread Pudding:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt and place over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the butter is fully melted. Set aside and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
WHile the milk is cooling, lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish, and place the bread cubes in the baking dish.
Once the milk mixture is just warm to the touch, whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Pour the custard over the bread, making sure to soak any dry pieces on top that got missed in the pour. (At this point, I like to let mine site for 20 to 30 minutes so the bread can soak up the liquid.)
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown on top and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
For the Sauce:
While the bread pudding is baking, combine the milk, cream, sugar, and butter in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the butter and sugar are fully melted and the mixture is steaming.
Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch is ¼ cup water, or use bourbon or rum for a boozy kick. Once the milk mixture is steaming, stir in the cornstarch. Stir constantly until the mixture has thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt if desired.
Pour some of the sauce over the warm bread pudding and serve with extra sauce.
Notes
Use stale bread. Dry, stale bread will soak up the custard the best. If you don’t have stale bread, let it sit out overnight before making this recipe. Or you can cube fresh bread and bake it on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 250°F to dry it out.
Allow time for the bread to soak in the custard mixture before baking. The bread pudding will have a better fluffy and creamy texture if you allow the bread to soak in the custard for 20-30 minutes before popping it in the oven to bake.
Scale the recipe as needed. This recipe makes one 8x8-inch baking dish, but it’s so easy to scale this recipe to feed a larger crowd. Cook a double batch in a 9x13-inch pan and add 5-10 minutes of baking time, or until the pudding is baked through.
Make two and freeze one. Make a double batch of this recipe and bake one in a disposable foil pan to freeze and enjoy during the busy holiday season or when you need a breakfast treat or dessert for unexpected guests. After baking and cooling, wrap the foil pan tightly in plastic wrap and then foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
Mix in options. I love adding in a handful of toasted pecans, toasted coconut, raisins, or chocolate chips. Almost any fruit or nut will be delicious in this recipe!
Brandy sauce variation. Add a tablespoon to ¼ cup of brandy to the sauce after it has thickened for a vanilla brandy sauce. Or try adding rum or bourbon to the custard sauce.