Bread Pudding Classic Dessert (Printer-Friendly)

Comforting custard-soaked bread with raisins, baked golden and served warm with a creamy vanilla sauce.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pudding

01 - 6 cups stale bread cubes (French bread or brioche preferred)
02 - 1 cup raisins
03 - 2 cups whole milk
04 - 1 cup heavy cream
05 - 4 large eggs
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (plus extra for greasing)

→ Sauce

12 - 1 cup heavy cream
13 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter.
02 - Place bread cubes evenly in the baking dish. Sprinkle raisins over the bread.
03 - Whisk milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and melted butter in a large bowl until smooth.
04 - Pour custard mixture evenly over bread and raisins. Press lightly to ensure absorption. Let stand for 10 minutes.
05 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until custard is set and top is golden. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean.
06 - While baking, combine cream, sugar, and butter in a small saucepan. Heat over medium stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture simmers. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
07 - Serve warm pudding drizzled with the prepared sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It rescues forgotten bread from the back of your counter and turns it into something genuinely craveable.
  • The warm vanilla custard and plump raisins create this cozy, almost hug-like dessert that never feels overly fussy.
  • You can have it ready to bake in under 20 minutes, then the oven does the real work while you relax.
02 -
  • The bread really does need to be stale or at least a day old—fresh bread will turn to mush and won't have the right texture.
  • Don't skip the 10-minute soak before baking; this is what allows the bread to actually absorb the custard instead of staying dry in the middle.
  • A knife coming out clean doesn't mean the pudding is dry; it should still have a slight jiggle in the center, which is the sign of a perfect, custardy texture.
03 -
  • Toast your bread cubes in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes before adding the custard if they're particularly soft—this helps them maintain structure without drying them out.
  • Make the sauce up to an hour ahead and gently reheat it just before serving; this actually improves the flavor as it mellows.
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