How to Bake Buttery Bread Pudding - Dessert
Discover > Texas Recipes > How to Bake Buttery Bread Pudding - Dessert
One morning, I woke up to the scent of butter (how long does butter last?) being baked. The kind of mellow and appetizing scent that gently shakes you awake. I tiptoed drowsily, led by my nose, to the kitchen. My roommate sat there, glove mittened and ready to fetch out whatever aromatic slice of heaven was baking in the oven. She placed the hot glass tray on the table and cut me a slice of an utterly buttery, warm, mildly sweet bread (how long does bread last?) pudding, topped with silky vanilla sauce. One bite, and I was a fan…
Six months later, she moved back to England – the birthplace of bread pudding. It might be surprising to know, that the modern, doused in custard, decadent bread pudding evolves from very humble origins. In 13th century England, it was famous as ‘the poor man’s pudding’. Almost every kitchen had a ‘pudding bin’ in which scraps of left-over bread were collected. These pieces were soaked in water, squeezed dry, and then mixed with sugar (how long does sugar last?) and spices to freshen them up. And that’s how the bread pudding was born.
Anyways, coming back to our buttery bread pudding; after my roommate moved out, I attempted several recreations of her recipe, but it never tasted the same. Then two years ago, she called me. And after sharing each other’s real and virtual life updates, I confessed that I missed her bread pudding as much as (if not more than) her. She chortled like an artist proud of her creation, and asked me to recite the recipe. So, I did – ‘2 tbsp. butter’. She stopped me as soon as I started - ‘It’s not 2 tbsps. of butter, it’s 4’
Ah! The perils of measuring out one’s life and butter with coffee spoons. I rectified my mistake that evening and baked another bread pudding. This time around with the right amount of butter. And even before tasting, I knew it was perfect. Because the aroma of butter being baked had returned.
So, here I share with you, the recipe for the most buttery, moist, and indulgent bread pudding. Don’t believe me? Try it out for yourselves. The proof is in the pudding.
The Best Bread for Pudding
The texture of pudding depends essentially on the type of bread you use (no surprises there). When making bread pudding, opt for artisanal bread instead of pre-sliced white bread. My personal favorite is the French baguette. It has a crisp crust that toasts up nicely when baked. You can also use Texas toast, challah, or brioche. Here’s where you can find artisanal bread near you. (Note: if you’re using challah bread don’t soak it in custard for more than 15 minutes).
Make Sure the Bread is not Fresh
For pudding, bread that is stale (at least a day old) and dry works best. If however, you’re using fresh bread, toast it in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10 minutes and cool before dipping them in custard. Do not skip this step because untoasted fresh bread will become soggy and disintegrate into the custard.
Plump the Raisins
Before adding raisins (how long do raisins last?) to the pudding, soak them in hot water for five minutes to make them soft. Dry raisins will absorb more liquid from the pudding and make it less moist. Plumping them ensures they’re soft and do not soak in moisture from the pudding. If you’re not a fan of raisins, you can replace them with dried cherries (how long do cherries last?) or cranberries. Or if you’re feeling particularly indulgent, sprinkle in some chocolate chips (how long do chocolate chips last?)!
Making Buttery Bread Pudding
Prep the Bread
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9*13-inch baking tray with butter. Cut the loaf into 1 – 1 ½ inch cubes
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Make the Custard
In a large bowl, whisk together butter, eggs, sugar, and milk till well combined. Add cinnamon and vanilla extract and plumped raisins. Mix well. Pour the custard over bread cubes and let it sit for 20 minutes
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Bake the Pudding
Transfer the custard-soaked bread cubes to the greased baking tray. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 50 minutes to 1 hour till the center is soft and set and the ends are brown and lightly crusted
Drizzle Vanilla Sauce on Top
While pudding bakes, in a large saucepan melt butter on a low flame. Then add flour, sugar, and heavy cream and mix. Turn the flame to medium and whisk till the sauce thickens and starts bubbling. Take off the heat and add vanilla extract. Mix well and drizzle over a slice of warm, freshly baked bread pudding.
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Utterly Buttery Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 6 slices day-old bread, torn into small pieces
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup raisins, optional
- 2 cups milk
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Place bread pieces into an 8-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle raisins and drizzle the melted butter over bread.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk milk, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla together until well combined. Pour mixture over bread. Lightly push down with a fork until all bread is soaking up the liquid.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and the top springs back when lightly pressed, about 45 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
171.11Fat
5.5Sat. Fat
2.61Carbs
26.08Fiber
1.08Net carbs
24.99Sugar
15.33Protein
5.11Sodium
107.47Cholesterol
71.97Want to know how to cook all kinds of foods on a single sheet pan? Here are some recipe ideas.
