What better way to use leftover bread than to make a creamy bread pudding with plump raisins? This simple, comforting, old-fashioned recipe has few ingredients and is very adaptable regarding flavor and variations.
Weekend brunch or dessert
Who doesn't have leftover bread and is tired of making French toast or croutons?
Bread pudding is a fantastic dessert, plain or flavored (like our apple bread pudding). It will save the day.
This recipe is straightforward, quick to assemble and versatile regarding add-ins and flavors. Raisin bread pudding is a classic. So we'll start there.
- It's very easy to make. Pieces of old bread, raisins and vanilla custard are dumped in a baking dish and baked until golden brown.
- Few ingredients. Flavorings and customizations aside, bread pudding only requires milk, eggs and sugar.
- Freezing. The baked dessert can be frozen, so there's no excuse.
FAQ
We use artisanal or peasant bread with a fluffy crumb and medium crust. If the bread has a thick crust (like sourdough and baguettes), use only the crumb. I don't use white sandwich bread from the store, as it doesn't have enough texture. But you can!
It stores well for a few days in the fridge and can be frozen for a month.
In theory, you can eat it however you want. I think the best way is warm with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or caramel sauce.
Steps to make bread pudding
I love how simple making this dessert is. A buttered dish, slices of bread, an easy-to-make binding cream, and not much more.
- Baking dish: this easy dessert is served from the dish it's baked on, so make sure it's one you like to take to the table.
- Custard: it's a matter of whisking several ingredients, that's it. Very simple.
- Bread: the slices or cubes (my choice) soak in the custard for a while before the pudding is baked.
- 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.
Egg mixture
The key to bread pudding is the right ratio of bread to custard. White bread is dense and bland in this dessert, so adding too much of it is not a good idea.
Make the custard flavorful, as it's the component that adds most of the flavor.
Baking
You have to make sure the inside is fully baked. The top might be golden brown and beautiful, but the custard might not be fully baked. So lift the pudding here and there and check. Bake it further if there are still pools of custard.
How to serve it
- Warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream is my favorite way.
- Drizzle some caramel sauce or homemade dulce de leche on a warm serving of this bread pudding, with or without cream or ice cream.
- Serve warm with a drizzle of creme Anglaise (below); it is a little more laborious but worth it. For a boozy sauce, flavor it with liquor like amaretto (hazelnut), Grand Marnier (orange) or Frangelico (hazelnut).
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
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 possible, 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 tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.- The ratio between the amount of bread and custard is key when it comes to bread pudding with white bread. Don't be tempted to add too much in relation to the liquid; the pudding will be too dense and not creamy.
- Variations: add another spice instead of cinnamon or in addition. Sprinkle ½ cup of chocolate chips or walnuts with the raisins. Add a tablespoon or two of your favorite liquor to the custard mixture. Use dried cranberries instead of raisins.
- Baking dish: bread puddings are usually served family-style. So use a dish you like to take to the table.
Related recipes you might like:
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Raisin Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 pound white bread , see Notes below
- ½ cup raisins, seedless
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream, or whipping cream
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, orange zest or a mix of both
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping:
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon white sugar, or light brown sugar
Instructions
- Grease an 8x11-inch ceramic dish (I use an oval one, but any shape is good) with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter.
- Arrange 1 pound of bread cubes or chunks in the dish, sprinkling ½ cup raisins in between.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir 3 eggs, 1 ¾ cups milk, ¼ cup cream, ⅓ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon zest. Integrate well without beating, as we don't want to incorporate air, but make sure the eggs are well-mixed.
- Pour the egg mixture carefully over the bread, making sure all is moistened. Since the bread is usually uneven, some slices might be more covered than others, which is fine.
- Let this mixture stand at room temperature, allowing the bread to absorb the liquid for 20-30 minutes. 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.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Check the mixture once or twice, submerging again any bread slices that popped to the surface too much. If they're on the surface and one of the sides is not being soaked enough, turn them over.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of sugar with ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon and sprinkle on top.
- 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 or toothpick 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.
- Let it cool a little, then serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream if you like. Drizzle some caramel or dulce de leche on top for an even more decadent dessert.
- Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator.
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