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Close up of panettone bread pudding in a white oval ceramic dish.

Bread Pudding with Panettone

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5 from 1 review

This is a simple panettone bread pudding recipe, with few ingredients and very customizable flavor-wise. Take advantage of panettone leftovers and make this wonderful vintage recipe that can be frozen!

  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Units
  • 1 teaspoon of butter, for the dish
  • 13oz panettone, cut into thick slices or chunks
  • 2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
  • Lemon zest from half a medium lemon
  • 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, for topping
  • Whipped cream, to server, optional

Instructions

  1. Butter an 8x11-inch ceramic dish (I use an oval one, but any shape is good). 
  2. Arrange the panettone bread cubes, slices or chunks, fitting them snugly. 
  3. Mix milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest in a large bowl. You don't need to beat it as we don't want to incorporate air, but make sure the eggs are well incorporated. 
  4. Pour the egg mixture carefully over the panettone, making sure all is moistened. Since the bread is usually uneven, some slices might be more covered than others, which is fine. 
  5. Let this mixture stand at room temperature, allowing the bread to absorb the liquid. If the panettone was still moist 20-30 minutes is fine. You might want to leave it longer if it is dry. You can also cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a few hours. 
  6. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
  7. Check the mixture once or twice, submerging again any bread slices that popped to the surface too much. Or turn them over if they're on the surface and one of the sides is not being soaked enough. 
  8. Mix the extra tablespoon of sugar with the ground cinnamon and sprinkle on top.
  9. Bake for 20 minutes, decrease the temperature to 325°F/160°C and bake for another 20-25 minutes until the top is puffed and golden brown. A tester inserted should come out clean. Don't be tempted to leave it until it's very firm because we want it to be creamy. But also make sure the custard is not too runny. 
  10. Let cool a little and serve warm with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream if you want. Drizzle some caramel or dulce de leche on top for an even more decadent dessert. 
  11. Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator. 

Notes

  • Panettone: it's the main ingredient, and how good it is will directly affect the texture and flavor of this bread pudding.
  • How to cut the panettone?  This seems to be the most asked question. My short answer is however you like it. And the long one is that it really doesn't matter much because it will be soaked with the liquid and will bake rather evenly. Unless you like to eat bread pudding that is dense but has little texture. In that case, cube the panettone which will ensure that it's soaked faster and more evenly. You'll still have the add-ins from the original bread though.
  • Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust. 
  • Baking: the pudding puffs and turns golden brown, but always make sure the custard is fully baked. Carefully lift the bread slices here and there and check that the inside is not too runny and that the eggs and cream mixture have coddled.
  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Desserts
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: International