Bread Pudding Warm Vanilla (Printable)
Golden baked bread soaked in spiced custard, served with luscious warm vanilla sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Bread Pudding
01 - 6 cups day-old bread cubes, French or brioche recommended
02 - 2 cups whole milk
03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - 4 large eggs
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 cup raisins, optional
→ Warm Vanilla Sauce
12 - 1 cup whole milk
13 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
14 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
15 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
17 - 1 large egg yolk
18 - 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
19 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Place bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle raisins evenly over the bread if using.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together milk, cream, eggs, sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until fully combined.
04 - Pour custard mixture evenly over bread cubes. Press down gently to ensure bread absorbs liquid. Let stand for 10 minutes.
05 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and set but still slightly soft in the center.
06 - While pudding bakes, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until bubbling but not browned.
07 - Gradually whisk in milk and cream, ensuring no lumps form. Add sugar and pinch of salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
08 - Whisk egg yolk in a small bowl. Slowly add a few spoonfuls of hot sauce to temper, then pour back into saucepan, whisking constantly.
09 - Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Keep warm until serving.
10 - Serve warm bread pudding topped with warm vanilla sauce.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It turns yesterday's forgotten bread into something that feels like a special occasion dessert
- The warm vanilla sauce creates this incredibly luxurious contrast against the tender, spiced pudding
02 -
- I learned the hard way that fresh bread turns to mush, so either let your bread sit out overnight or cube and dry it in a low oven for about 20 minutes
- The 10 minute rest time after pouring the custard is actually crucial, it's what transforms bread cubes into proper pudding rather than just wet bread
03 -
- Let the bread pudding rest for about 10 minutes after baking before serving, it helps the custard set properly and makes serving so much easier
- If you want to make this ahead, assemble everything the night before and refrigerate, then add an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time