Bread Pudding Classic Dessert (Printer Version)

A warm, custard-soaked bread dish with raisins and a rich, creamy vanilla sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pudding

01 - 6 cups stale French bread or brioche, cubed
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

→ 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 Prepare:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter.
02 - Layer the cubed bread evenly in the prepared dish, then sprinkle the raisins on top.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together whole milk, heavy cream, eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, and melted butter until fully combined and smooth.
04 - Pour the custard evenly over the bread and raisins. Press lightly on the bread to ensure it soaks up the custard. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
05 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the pudding is puffed, golden, and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - While baking, combine heavy cream, sugar, and butter in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture simmers. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
07 - Serve the baked pudding warm, drizzled generously with the warm sauce.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Stale bread becomes an asset instead of garbage, and the result is impossibly creamy and comforting.
  • The warm vanilla custard and plump raisins make this feel indulgent without requiring fancy ingredients or technique.
  • It feeds a crowd, reheats beautifully, and tastes even better the next day when the flavors settle in.
02 -
  • Don't skip the 10-minute soak—rushing this step is the only real way to end up with dry patches in your pudding, and it's such an easy mistake to make.
  • The pudding will set up more as it cools, so if it looks slightly underbaked when you pull it out, that's actually perfect; overbaking makes it rubbery and sad.
  • Room-temperature or cold leftover bread pudding can be gently reheated in a 275°F oven for about 15 minutes, and it's honestly wonderful that way too.
03 -
  • Let your bread sit out uncovered for a full day before making pudding—truly stale bread soaks up custard more evenly than bread that's only been sitting a few hours.
  • If you forget to let the custard soak for 10 minutes, the bread in the center won't be as tender; those 10 minutes are not optional, they're essential.
  • Make the sauce while the pudding bakes so everything is warm and ready at the same time—cold sauce on warm pudding is a missed opportunity.
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