This quick and easy Bread Pudding with warm vanilla sauce is comfort food at its best. Just as good as you remember grandma’s creamy custard bread pudding. Although grandma loved to make it with raisins, I prefer it without. Make with or without raisins to suit your individual taste,
This quick and easy Bread Pudding with warm vanilla sauce is comfort food at its best. Just as good as you remember grandma’s creamy custard bread pudding. Although grandma loved to make it with raisins, I prefer it without. Make with or without raisins to suit your individual taste,
This quick and easy Bread Pudding with warm vanilla sauce is comfort food at its best.
WHAT IS BREAD PUDDING?
Bread Pudding is a bread-based dessert made with milk or cream, eggs, sugar, and warm spices that bake up into a warm custard with a fluffy texture. Top with a vanilla cream sauce, caramel sauce, rum sauce, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
HOW TO MAKE IT
Start by cutting a day-old loaf of challah bread or brioche into bite-size pieces. Lay them in a casserole dish that has been greased with butter. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, milk, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Pour the custard mixture over the bread, cover, and let it sit for about 30 minutes to absorb the custard.
How to make bread pudding
Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the custard is set and the bread pudding is lightly browned. Let the bread pudding cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and heavy cream. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. It will bubble a lot, so it needs constant stirring. Remove from the heat, and let it cool for 10 minutes before stirring in the vanilla. Be careful it may still bubble up. Serve the bread pudding with the warm vanilla sauce poured over the top. Pour on individual slices if you think you might have leftovers.
Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the custard is set and the bread pudding is lightly
RECIPE TIPS
I like to use day-old bread. Challah or brioche bread are my favorites, but quite honestly, you can use French bread, sandwich bread, or croissants.
Day-old or slightly stale bread is ideal for soaking up lots of the custard, but keep in mind that you don’t want it so stale that it won’t absorb anything.
The milk and eggs should be at room temperature so that when you add the butter, it stays melted and does not solidify.
Bread pudding can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and reheated, but withhold the sauce until the day of. Store the casserole tightly covered in the fridge. Remove the casserole 45 minutes prior to reheating to bring it to room temperature. Cover with foil and reheat at 275 degrees until warm or for about 30 minutes.
STORAGE
Store bread pudding tightly covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze baked bread pudding, withhold the sauce till the day of serving. Cover the baking dish with 2 layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Store the casserole tightly covered in the fridge. Remove the casserole 45 minutes prior to reheating to bring it to room temperature. Cover with foil and reheat at 275 degrees until warm or for about 30 minutes.
Serve the bread pudding with the warm vanilla sauce poured over the top. Pour on individual slices if you think you might have leftovers.
FLAVOR VARIATIONS
Add dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, cherries, or blueberries. I do not recommend fresh fruit because of the moisture content.
Try adding chopped nuts like pecans, almonds, or walnuts.
Mix in dried pineapple and shredded coconut for a Hawaiian vibe.
Add dried cranberries and orange extract for a holiday pudding.
Replace the whole milk with eggnog for a delicious Christmas bread pudding.
