Bread Pudding

This classic casserole, made from bread soaked in a creamy vanilla custard, is perfect for breakfast or brunch and is simple to make. 

Some call it bread pudding, others call it baked French toast. Whatever you want to call it, though, it’s a dreamy breakfast or brunch for your guests. It’s the easi to make, and you’ll never need to throw away old bread again.

So what exactly is bread pudding? It’s layers of bread mixed with a delicious, creamy custard made from eggs, sugar, and either cream or milk. Using heavy cream alone will give the richest and, in my opinion, most delicious results, but you can use milk, half-and-half, or a combination.

The bread can’t be fresh, and it should sit at room temperature for a day to let it dry up a little. I like to use Challa, but you can also use French bread, brioche (delicious!), or Panettone (an Italian bread).

While most recipes for bread pudding are quite similar, it’s the bread to custard ratio that differs the most. In some recipes, the casserole will still be filled with visible custard after baking, but in others, the bread will soak up most of the liquid. Either way, the final result will be wet. It also depends on how much time you let the bread soak prior to baking. While most recipes suggest anywhere from a few minutes to overnight in the fridge (good if you want to make it ahead and bake in the morning), I find it enough to let my bread soak for an hour. In my recipe, the casserole won’t be full of custard after baking, but if you find that you prefer more, simply make extra custard next time with the same amount of bread.

Baking time is key in making this breakfast perfect. When the custard is no longer runny, and when there is no custard leaking from the top when you press down on the bread, then it’s done. Over baking will make the bread dry.

For special occasions, I like to caramelize the top of the bread pudding like in crème brulee. This might slightly burn the edges of the bread, but don’t worry about it – the end product won’t taste burnt at all as long as you’re careful. Since bread pudding is very soft, the caramelized top gives it the perfect crunch. You can also add crunch by adding pecans or other nuts (this recipe includes that option). The brulee top is only optional, and without it, you’ll still have a delicious, classic bread pudding. Either way you decide to create this sweet morning treat, your guests will thank you!

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