Description
Rich, comforting bread pudding with vanilla sauce celebrates classic Southern dessert magic, blending custardy texture with sweet, smooth notes. Home cooks can savor this nostalgic treat that warms hearts and delights taste buds with each delectable spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread:
- 4 cups (8 slices) cubed white bread
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups milk
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
Additional Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and thoroughly coat a 1.5-quart casserole dish with butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Tear bread into rustic cubes and scatter raisins in a spacious mixing bowl, creating a textural base for the pudding.
- Gently warm milk and butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter completely dissolves and mixture reaches a smooth consistency, approximately 5 minutes.
- Pour heated milk mixture over bread and raisins, allowing the bread to absorb liquid and soften for 10 minutes, creating a custardy foundation.
- Whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and nutmeg in a separate bowl until ingredients are thoroughly integrated and mixture appears silky.
- Fold the egg mixture into the soaked bread, ensuring even distribution of ingredients and creating a cohesive pudding base.
- Transfer the pudding mixture into the prepared casserole dish, spreading evenly with a spatula for uniform baking.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, watching for a golden-brown surface and a firm, set center that springs back when lightly touched.
- While pudding bakes, prepare vanilla sauce by combining butter, sugars, and cream in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and bubbles, approximately 6-7 minutes.
- Remove sauce from heat and incorporate vanilla extract, creating a rich, glossy topping.
- Once pudding is done, remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes to stabilize its structure.
- Serve warm, generously drizzling vanilla sauce over each portion and garnishing with an optional sprinkle of nutmeg.
Notes
- Choose day-old bread for better absorption and richer texture, as slightly stale bread soaks up milk mixture more effectively.
- Try different bread types like brioche, challah, or French bread to create unique flavor profiles and varying textures.
- Add extra flavor boosters like cinnamon, orange zest, or bourbon to enhance the pudding’s depth and complexity.
- Make the dessert gluten-free by using gluten-free bread and ensuring all other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 252 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg